Old school: a new management system.

Caution mild rant ahead.

The “company”* has restructured, opting for the structure of yore; no more flex time, breaks to be taken when needed with no congregating, lunch will be 45 minutes, no longer or shorter and is mandatory, and vacation will be taken along with the floor, which is to say that construction holiday is in effect for all. Needless to say that the “companies” employees are none too pleased. After having gone through layoffs, to then be told that there will be much restructuring, to waiting nervously as the weeks to pass for said restructuring to occur, they are a little bewildered and shell shocked. Though I do not work directly for said company*, I am just a small little cog in their monstrous machine, I still feel perplexed by this return to company management ala old school.

In my mind it’s a structure that has never really worked. It is one that removes all liberties from the employees and strips their ability to manoeuvre their work schedules around their lives; instead they are forced to ensure that their life schedule doesn’t interfere with work. It also does not make for an environment that is conducive to concept and engineering design. Most designers and engineers that I know usually will take vacation time just before burnout.

When pressed as to why they had to chosen to go the pre-teamster route, their manger had only this to offer.” It is easier for me to manage everyone’s schedules this way”. This is of course regardless of the fact that half the employees have three weeks or more vacation time per annum. As to when they can take that extra week, well anytime they please. So much for easy management…