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Shit Runs Downhill

Posted by: imwonderful2
Date: 8/17/2005 6:40:34 AM

I work in a plant that makes parts for automobiles. Been there almost 2 years and from the day I walked in the plant I knew this was a seriously messed up working environment.

So I have made a commitment to changing what I can, although it is a huge problem. The plant has had a revolving door of bosses from hell for at least a decade. It's not that managers and supervisors quit, its that they are shoved out the door when they cant provide the efficiency and productivity demands assigned to them.(You can already guess why they cant)

So for far too long the entire work staff has been damaged by bad bosses. An excellent example of a "poisoned work environment"

This Monday our production supervisor had a meeting with our shift--approximately 30 people. He told us of a new corporate mandate that was asking for 30%(!!) increased production from us. He also casually pointed out...again!!..in plain language using the phrase "shit runs downhill"

I politely told him that it was an extremely bad term to use with his team members. That there was no one "downhill" from him because we, the production workers(grunts) were equally important members of the team. That we were in fact his business partners who provide a service for which we are paid.

I also informed him that there were more effective ways to motivate people than using disciplinary action for failing to meet increasing work schedules(which is exactly what they use).

And I suggested he should be looking into them.

As he stood there looking like a kid caught in the cookie jar he agreed."okay" was all he could respond with.

I said "Thank you" and that was the end of our dialogue. Interestingly during this time there was none of the usual criticisms and complaints from the rest of the 30 or so employees.

Maybe something took hold there because in the last 2 days supervisors have been voicing appreciation or a job well done and offering to cover an employee while he took a bathroom break...both of which are new phenomena.

I think it helps that I have always displayed a good work ethic and expressed no complaints, as many others do.

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