Communication

Joiners

Comment 1

The joiners are not aware why certain workers were chosen for redundancy as it wasn’t explained to them – was it age, was it cost, was it personal – everyone is genuinely baffled. There is also a real sense of survivor guilt from those remaining.

The joiners really don’t feel valued or that are truly being kept informed or up to date. They do not really read the notices on the notice boards or read the Bulletin.

Comment 2

The joiners are really p****d off that they have suffered real pain and are still being laid off. Yet they see joiners from site being moved to work with them rather than being laid off – it does not work in reverse for them.

I am getting the message from a lot of the younger joiners that they want site experience. They also want the opportunity to earn site bonus, to be allowed a tea break, to be paid travelling time.

Why do we not explain the bonus situation with the joiners’ shop?

Comment 3

In the current economic climate, people are scared to raise problems – they fear they will be the next to be laid off. We have a notice board for concerns and suggestions but it’s not effective as the workforce don’t think their ideas will be considered carefully or that they will be rewarded for offering them eg power vs hand tools. We need to ensure people can be heard no matter how tough times are.

Comment 4

Worst of all there is a sense of us and them – that they are seeing the pay cuts while the middle management aren’t. That the office staff are rewarded while the workforce aren’t. We are not always firm, fair and consistent in the way we treat our workforce.

Mess room

12.30pm – went into mess room with joiners. The ‘Big Issues’ board only has two issues on it – bonus cut and no tea breaks. Fantastic management idea, the board. Opportunity for workers to note their big issues and concerns and make suggestions and solutions. However, not really being used and there is no feedback.

Need to make acknowledgement of the comment – even if managers don’t have a timescale for the response or proposed resolution. Introduce an effective feedback loop and refine it.

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