The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]

Photo: Zen Traveller

So one of my wonderful creative colleagues, Simon, brought up an interesting point …

We all know there is a recession on … however there’s this mentality that a recession represents a defined period of time and once that has past, everything will go back to what it was before.

And I think he’s right … people talk about the recession as if it will all be over in 12, 24, 36 months however that doesn’t mean things will be exactly as they were prior to this event – I don’t think the people who lost their homes, jobs and savings will wake up one morning and suddenly find everything is better again.

This is not a recession, this is life … and to get out of it will require more than just billions being shoved into the economy, it’ll require a fundamental shift in companies and communities attitudes.

However this isn’t the purpose behind this post …

As I wrote previously, some companies are using this period of financial uncertainty to demonstrate all the care and consideration of Pol Pot … however one organisation has come to my attention that is demonstrating such a ‘them and us’ attitude that even England’s class system would regard it as bad taste.

Photo: Ray

A certain ad agency in Singapore has DICTATED that there can be no holiday time for the first 6 months of the year.

Yep, despite this being something you get as part of your overall remuneration package … and something legally binding … this company doesn’t want a single person having any holidays till at least June.

Given most bosses get the shits when more than 2 people book any time off that crosses over, I daren’t imagine the shit attack that will go on when 200 odd people all ask for time off in the final 6 months of the year.

“But won’t they pay out for holiday’s unused given they’ve influenced when people can take time off?” I hear you cry.

Not a chance …

This bunch of skinflints think it is OK to refuse all holidays and then refuse to recompense you, even though it’s because of them you’ve not been able to go anywhere in the first place.

But that ladies and gentleman is nothing …

Oh no …

You see on top of the ‘no holidays’ rule, they’ve also said – I kid you not – that EVERYONE has to be in the office from 8:30am to 8:30pm, even if they have finished all their work and have none left to do.

Of course this ‘rule’ doesn’t count for the senior management who can go off and get pissed under the guise of ‘business planning’ every night, but for everyone else, they have to be sat at their desks waiting to be allowed home.

“But surely they’ll get overtime given they’re being asked to work 3 hours longer than they are paid for?” I hear you ask again.

Nope.

Not a dime.

And it’s not because of the current financial crisis though that is the very convenient excuse they’re using to justify their outrageous behaviour.

Photo: Flint Knits

Holiday is not a gift. it’s a right … and if companies want their people working happily and effectively, they need to ensure they can get their fair share of rest/invigoration because working them to the bone – or simply scaring them into doing whatever menial task you want – is going to lead to the sort of loyalty you get in the English Premier League.

As far as I am concerned, this is bullying pure and simple – but then the guy behind this stupid idea is one of the most delusional, selfish, arrogant, chip-on-the-shoulder wankers I’ve ever had the displeasure of meeting and I just hope he gets what he deserves because he’s got away with being a tyrant for too long.

What’s worse is that in a bid to kiss the arse of the idiot behind all this nonsense, a load of the middle tier managers are trying to impress him with their feats of staff misery which is why there’s now a load of people who not only have to work a minimum of 12 hours every day, but on weekends as well.

I once was in a meeting where I believed this guy when he said his staff were the most important thing to him.

Within days I knew he was a liar and when I called him on it, he went apoplectic with rage. What was better was I brought this up infront of the Worldwide CEO. It was one of my better days.

To be fair to him, he probably doesn’t realise he treats his staff like slaves, he’s such an ego maniac he probably believes his staff love being shouted at, given no respect, encouragement or consideration … but he’s wrong, and you just have to look at his agency staff turnover figures to realise that.

Despite all their systems, processes, proprietary tools and research, adland is more reliant on ‘people power’ than almost any other industry and if all multinationals approach these challenging times in the same manner as this Singaporean agency, then the final nail will be firmly hammered into the communication industry coffin.

If you work at the agency in question … don’t believe their brainwashing lies … you can get a better job elsewhere and you deserve it because without you, they are literally nothing.