Internal processes for handling employee concerns where you work. Effective?

[Integrity]

Some large corporations have internal processes for the purpose of giving employees safe and effective channels to report concerns of various kinds.

Most large companies have safety processes for safety concerns.

Some have open door policies so that employees can effectively move up the chain of command with questions or concerns.

Some even have independent phone lines or compliance services where employees are encouraged to call and report concerns if this is the most comfortable method for the employee.

Some companies have strong unions and employees can have concerns addressed through their union leadership.

My experience has shown me that in spite of wishful thinking and sometimes good intentions, corporate greed and the profit above truth mentality have blinded many in Corporate America.

Some corporations make bold claims about its character and its integrity with little to show for it but an impressive quarterly earnings report and a demoralized workforce.

The unfortunate reality in many large corporations is that the internal processes are more than likely designed to create the illusion that the company will take action.

What happens instead is the employee reporting the concern gets caught up in an internal bureaucracy that more often than not goes nowhere.

Are the internal processes for handling employee concerns where you work effective?

Sincerely,
I

 

[Anonymous 10]

Nope

 

[cachsux]

Ditto on 407. The only time something gets handled effectively is when its against an hourly. Otherwise it`s swept under the rug.

 

[texan]

I agree with both cachsux and anonymous.

 

[dannyboy]

Good evening Integ

I dont know why you didnt stop and say hello........(see other thread)

As for the content of this thread, I can tell you that certain times during my tenure at UPS, things did get moved up the chain, and things did get acomplished because of front line involvement.

But as I was leaving, it went back to the way it was before hand. On the surface, and to the public eye (untrained eye), you have a well respected company that is in high standing both on the state and federal levels. They have learned to pay to play on the very uneven field of transportation. And while there are reams of paperwork that will proudly proclaim various processes in place to handle issues, they rarely are given a second look, much less acted upon. And it seems that even the process of safety has been prostituted to not even resemble what it was intended to be. Even in my center it has become a joke, a rubber stamp process of the upper management team.

The processes are only as good as those in power allow them to be. And those in power are not really interested in what we have to say. They are more focused on making the production numbers for the center. The safety picture in our center is the worst it has been in 20 years, and less drivers are interested in participation. So instead of what it used to be, the company appoints what ever driver it wants to the cochair position, and it has become a harrassment tool instead of an injury reduction/safety tool.

As far as other concerns, unless they see something to benifit their self interests, they bury them locally. And very few calls up the road ever get taken to the next step.

So after all this, you have another no.

d

 

[Integrity]

Good evening Integ

I dont know why you didnt stop and say hello........(see other thread)

As for the content of this thread, I can tell you that certain times during my tenure at UPS, things did get moved up the chain, and things did get acomplished because of front line involvement.

But as I was leaving, it went back to the way it was before hand. On the surface, and to the public eye (untrained eye), you have a well respected company that is in high standing both on the state and federal levels. They have learned to pay to play on the very uneven field of transportation. And while there are reams of paperwork that will proudly proclaim various processes in place to handle issues, they rarely are given a second look, much less acted upon. And it seems that even the process of safety has been prostituted to not even resemble what it was intended to be. Even in my center it has become a joke, a rubber stamp process of the upper management team.

The processes are only as good as those in power allow them to be. And those in power are not really interested in what we have to say. They are more focused on making the production numbers for the center. The safety picture in our center is the worst it has been in 20 years, and less drivers are interested in participation. So instead of what it used to be, the company appoints what ever driver it wants to the cochair position, and it has become a harrassment tool instead of an injury reduction/safety tool.

As far as other concerns, unless they see something to benifit their self interests, they bury them locally. And very few calls up the road ever get taken to the next step.

So after all this, you have another no.

d

dannyboy,

Thanks for your input once again.

What thread did I miss?

I am sorry if I missed interacting or responding to something.

Sincerely,
I

 

[Catatonic]

Ditto on 407. The only time something gets handled effectively is when its against an hourly. Otherwise it`s swept under the rug.

You need to be more specific - union hourly.

Non-Union are treated more than fairly ... better than management.

 

[Anonymous 10]

You need to be more specific - union hourly.

Non-Union are treated more than fairly ... better than management.

Cach has been around the block and back like I. I like your character that you play on the brown cafe and really value your presence here, but you are out of touch as to what cach & I deal with on a day to day basis. I do believe you get it but we are in different sides of the fence and your post shows it.

Ps I do feel your( or really management who are on the front lines (operations) in this hornets nest or den of the devil) pain but you can leave any day. Cach and I are stuck for a little while longer. God bless

 

[Catatonic]

Cach has been around the block and back like I. I like your character that you play on the brown cafe and really value your presence here, but you are out of touch as to what cach & I deal with on a day to day basis. I do believe you get it but we are in different sides of the fence and your post shows it.

Ps I do feel your( or really management who are on the front lines (operations) in this hornets nest or den of the devil) pain but you can leave any day. Cach and I are stuck for a little while longer. God bless

I think we are in agreement.

Take care 407.

 

[Anonymous 10]

I think we are in agreement.

Take care 407.

You are a class act I could work for you any day Hoak.

 

[cino321]

From a package car driver's perspective...

There isn't a adequate venue to voice concerns.

Issues both minor and small get dealt with in two ways:

-By approaching the immediate management who are generally busy with the rest of the hourlies in their group and cannot address each issue individually or effectively, or are perhaps holding a grudge against you for whatever reason, or are aware of your problem but cannot deal it with because they do not have the means to (for example staffing, equipment, authority) in which case they play ignorant because it's easier that way.

-Or involving the union, often in scenarios when management is trying to extort, lie, or con you into dealing with a issue in an effort to make it work and you have to seek some sort of representation to protect yourself from it, or when management is trying to discipline you in an effort to point fingers when they have to deal with the repercussions of not dealing with an issue in the first place.

 

[dilligaf]

From a package car driver's perspective...

There isn't a adequate venue to voice concerns.

Issues both minor and small get dealt with in two ways:

-By approaching the immediate management who are generally busy with the rest of the hourlies in their group and cannot address each issue individually or effectively, or are perhaps holding a grudge against you for whatever reason, or are aware of your problem but cannot deal it with because they do not have the means to (for example staffing, equipment, authority) in which case they play ignorant because it's easier that way.

-Or involving the union, often in scenarios when management is trying to extort, lie, or con you into dealing with a issue in an effort to make it work and you have to seek some sort of representation to protect yourself from it, or when management is trying to discipline you in an effort to point fingers when they have to deal with the repercussions of not dealing with an issue in the first place.

Cino, you pretty much got that down right. Dealing with mgt - swept under the carpet. Dealing with the union - swept under the carpet.

 

[Bubblehead]

Anybody in management, that I look in the eye on any given day, has absolutely no power to make any decisions.
They are merely facilitators.
The people they report to, I fear are also facilitators.
Any "concern" voiced by any employee, whether union or facilitator, is only evaluated on its immediate potential monetary liability.
Until the problem actually costs the company a dollar, it's of little "concern".
That my friends, is the "logistics" of my workplace.

 

[Integrity]

Nope

Ditto on 407. The only time something gets handled effectively is when its against an hourly. Otherwise it`s swept under the rug.

I agree with both cachsux and anonymous.

Good evening Integ

I dont know why you didnt stop and say hello........(see other thread)

As for the content of this thread, I can tell you that certain times during my tenure at UPS, things did get moved up the chain, and things did get acomplished because of front line involvement.

But as I was leaving, it went back to the way it was before hand. On the surface, and to the public eye (untrained eye), you have a well respected company that is in high standing both on the state and federal levels. They have learned to pay to play on the very uneven field of transportation. And while there are reams of paperwork that will proudly proclaim various processes in place to handle issues, they rarely are given a second look, much less acted upon. And it seems that even the process of safety has been prostituted to not even resemble what it was intended to be. Even in my center it has become a joke, a rubber stamp process of the upper management team.

The processes are only as good as those in power allow them to be. And those in power are not really interested in what we have to say. They are more focused on making the production numbers for the center. The safety picture in our center is the worst it has been in 20 years, and less drivers are interested in participation. So instead of what it used to be, the company appoints what ever driver it wants to the cochair position, and it has become a harrassment tool instead of an injury reduction/safety tool.

As far as other concerns, unless they see something to benifit their self interests, they bury them locally. And very few calls up the road ever get taken to the next step.

So after all this, you have another no.

d

From a package car driver's perspective...

There isn't a adequate venue to voice concerns.

Issues both minor and small get dealt with in two ways:

-By approaching the immediate management who are generally busy with the rest of the hourlies in their group and cannot address each issue individually or effectively, or are perhaps holding a grudge against you for whatever reason, or are aware of your problem but cannot deal it with because they do not have the means to (for example staffing, equipment, authority) in which case they play ignorant because it's easier that way.

-Or involving the union, often in scenarios when management is trying to extort, lie, or con you into dealing with a issue in an effort to make it work and you have to seek some sort of representation to protect yourself from it, or when management is trying to discipline you in an effort to point fingers when they have to deal with the repercussions of not dealing with an issue in the first place.

Cino, you pretty much got that down right. Dealing with mgt - swept under the carpet. Dealing with the union - swept under the carpet.

Anybody in management, that I look in the eye on any given day, has absolutely no power to make any decisions.
They are merely facilitators.
The people they report to, I fear are also facilitators.
Any "concern" voiced by any employee, whether union or facilitator, is only evaluated on its immediate potential monetary liability.
Until the problem actually costs the company a dollar, it's of little "concern".
That my friends, is the "logistics" of my workplace.

All Above,

Thanks for your participation in this discussion thread!

When the internal processes in a large corporation fail to effectively address employee concerns as they claim and are intended, what option does the concerned employee have?

I am very interested in your perspectives and anyone else's who would care to give one.

Sincerely,
I

 

[menotyou]

Considering the variety of Government agencies that oversee the Union and the company, we do have ways of addressing concerns. You just have to have the cajones.

 

[Anonymous 10]

Considering the variety of Government agencies that oversee the Union and the company, we do have ways of addressing concerns. You just have to have the cajones.

Or in your case know how to handle the cajones.

 

[Integrity]

Considering the variety of Government agencies that oversee the Union and the company, we do have ways of addressing concerns. You just have to have the cajones.

menotyou,

Have you done anything like this?

Sincerely,
I

 

[menotyou]

This particular issue I will keep private. Thank you for asking, I.

 

[cachsux]

You need to be more specific - union hourly.

Non-Union are treated more than fairly ... better than management.

I`ve seen things happen to non union hourly too. Felt no need to be specific. Maybe they`re treated better than management up in the tower but down in the dirt they`re treated as such.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

This particular issue I will keep private. Thank you for asking, I.

In other words:

I talk a big game but when pressed for details the silence speaks volumes.