Employee Disengagement

Tales from a Toxic Work Environment #2

  Based on recent behavior patterns, I'm guessing that one of our newest hires may be on his way out.

It became apparent two weeks ago that he had disconnected from the job; showing little interest in learning or expanding his knowledge base, spending far too much time sitting by the machine oblivious to his surroundings, and just this week he has called out two days in a row.

 We only work three days this week, so that's a lot.

 If I had to guess, I'd say that he has burned his limited vacation days, and started in on sick days,  because he wasn't planning to be around much longer.  That's the obvious first step when someone has disengaged and no longer cares about the job, the team, or the company. In my experience the pattern is fairly consistent. 

 I am further qualified to spot disengagement because in my three years here I have gone from proud to be here, to why am i still here, because I stopped drinking the Kool aid over a year ago. There was an incident prior to that point, and that put me in the frame of mind to notice deeper issues, and that's when the realization occurred to me that I no longer really cared about a culture that doesn't actually care about me.
 I had essentially allowed all the joy to be sucked out of my work. That actually hurt, because when I started, I genuinely liked my job for the first time in...forever?

 This plant is less than two years old, so being here for three means I am a member of the founder's club. The original group of twenty people, of which I am a member, has been whittled down to about 13 now. Some have quit, some were let go, but that's par for the course at most companies. But for a company with a reputation for higher retention rates, it should be alarming.

 I've been on four teams in those three years. My first supervisor became a friend, and then she quit to move home to Chicago. She was my first (and last) career coach. We still share a text on occasion.

 My second supervisor was the subject of a prior post, Tales #1, and in the six months that we worked together he managed to say exactly 9 words to me. Once. I was tolerated, and he didn't hide it well.

 My third team was my favorite because my supervisor was an intelligent, down-to-earth ex-cop who actually looked me in the eye and spoke to me like a human. He was respectful, fair, and honest and I respected the hell out of him for it.

 But, I moved once again to a newer line so that my prior line experience could make their startup easier. I get it, but it's not ideal. And like I said, I disengaged a long time ago so at this point i'm just showing up, and those rare positive moments are the only things keeping me sane about it.

 One of the issues that led to this state of mind is all the attention being placed on the glass ceiling here. Being a new plant, there is a lot of room for overhead growth. Both middle and upper management slots waiting to be filled, lots of shuffling going on, and this quickly became a full-time preoccupation for every manager at every level.

 So much so, that it became clear to us on the floor that we were basically alone here. Our support was non existent because it was off brown-nosing and training for the next promotion.

You couldn't get anyone's actual attention because not one of our supervisors were engaged themselves; none wanted the job they had, but were instead sniffing for the next level job they wanted. They simply needed you to make them look good so they could leave you in their wake.

 That went on heavily for about a year, though it has started to slow a bit by now.

 Engagement is still an issue however, so obviously the problem runs a bit deeper than just a group of non-committed managers. Maybe it's a general feeling that the work doesn't really matter. That impression is inevitable when everyone is focused on the career ladder.

 Maybe it's a general feeling that you don't really matter. Certain managers have a way of conveying that message regularly, despite the best intentions of  upper management or policy.

 Maybe it has to do with being treated like idiotic children instead of like thinking, rational adults.

 For example, management has recently started littering the plant with these moron signs, like the one at each trash hopper that says, " This is the cardboard hopper. Only put cardboard into the cardboard hopper". It has pictures. Of cardboard. In the cardboard hopper. In case you're really stupid.

 The walls of every hallway we use are plastered with childish posters depicting aspects of the safety guidelines. From outside, the building is a work of art. The main lobby is tastefully appointed with integral works of art. But when we walk the halls, and it looks exactly like an elementary school. It's quite embarrassing, TBH. They don't rotate or change, so you quickly stop seeing them, but they do increase on occasion. Maybe they're breeding.

 In any event, the filthy undercurrent of discontent that began years ago before the plant was even built has never been addressed, and has therefore grown into an underground movement. Lots of grumbling going on; Lots of unhappy people planning an exit strategy while simultaneously giving this plant a black eye in the form of an employee retention rate that rivals the local 7-11.