An Employee's Sentiment to Company X

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I love my work as an HR in Company X because I love challenges. The first task assigned to me was to make a company policy. I accepted it because I love challenges. That's what I am. But at the back of my mind, I heard a little voice that said, "How the hell they existed for 25 years without a policy?" I removed the cloud in my head, and because I am hard headed, I accepted the offer...not knowing what awaits me...I entered hell.

At first, I am super energetic and motivated. I mingled with workers, they are kind and eventually they disclosed their problems with the company. Here are the problems that seemed irreparable:

1. No benefits even sick leave and vacation leave.

2. They impose deductions and penalties.

3. They command the HR Dept to issue memorandum (even simple things that can be done verbally)

4. No Department heads. YES, no heads except for one untouchable Department. 

5. No health insurance. They will issue health insurance if you are part of the company for 5 years. And yet the old employees right now does not have health insurance because the company didn't pay for it.

6. No retirement benefits. There is one employee who separated from Company X and she doesn't receive any separation pay. She served the Company X for 21 years.

7. No career growth for almost employees.

8. They give too much workloads to some employees and ask for immediate positive results on performance.

9. No job evaluation.

10. No clear job descriptions. I made a task analysis that will be a basis for job descriptions and other important HR functions.

11.No salary grade. Company driver salary is the same with the dispatcher, marketing assistant, and hr assistant. (Sounds, unfair huh?)

12. No training and development.

13. No organizational structure.

14. 13th month pay release later than 24th day of December.

15. They reprimand employees in front of applicants and other employees. No wonder why our applicants walked out after the incident and it is also one of the reasons why turnover rate is high.

16. No fire exit and comfort rooms are mess.

17. No utility worker but underpaid house helpers. Yes, their house helpers are brought to the premises of the company to work for us. Even their own house helpers turnover was high because of too much work. One house helper told me, "The boss gives too much work and we don't have freedom."

18. There are three bosses in one company and the three of them sometimes are in conflict. Because of this, some of us are also in conflict. We don't know whose right.

19. Too strict that even cellphones are not allowed in the company. We are not also allowed to eat in our areas and we do not have kitchen.During lunch break, we go outside the building or stay on the ground floor.

20. The bosses and even employees are unprofessional. Some wear only shirt, jeans, and slippers.

21. No testing room and interview room.

22. Most of the time, the boss is right. The boss interferes with our work and it messes our work. I mean, c'mon? We know our duties but she keeps on interfering with our work which made it difficult. She thinks that she knows everything. (Employees tried to share their thoughts with their boss through writing a letter and telling it to the boss... unfortunately, nothing happened.)

23. The bosses use foul languages to employees.

24. No contracts.

25. No company policy. This is my first task and I am proud that I made it.

26. Turn over rates.The employee turn over was so high to the extent that newly-hired workers last for 2 days. Yes, 2 days. In my five months stay in the company, I experienced attending conciliation in labor and seeing people going out for they no longer stomach the humiliation from the bosses.

27. No decent company ID. 

28. No company outing and team building.

29. No anniversary date for celebrating the company's establishment.

30. No incentives.

31. Working days is from Monday- Saturday, 48 Hours a week. No work-life balance. 

Wooo! Loooong list. Other things are not mentioned. So I guess, I made the right decision not to prolong my contract, eh? I mean, verbal contract? I don't have a contract, by the way. I just want to end my five months out of respect. 

In my stay, I realized that not all challenging activities are worth fighting for knowing that there are a lot of negativity in the environment which highly affect my productivity as an employee. I learned also that before I accept the offer in a company, I have to conduct background check, study the company profile, know the benefits and incentives, and to know the owner. In short, I have to choose wisely.

I realized that it is not always the fault of my coworkers why the company stayed as sterile and standpat. I believe it is a two-way problem. It is a fault that will never be rectified unless the management also accepts its inefficiencies and flaws.

 I am by nature, a person who doesn’t usually give up on trials. I came from poverty, I studied in a State University, an achiever and a person who finds joy and positive things in bleak situations. But as of now, I will concede. I admit that I am late going to work for 9 times (which is unusual for me because I am punctual) and I admit that I no longer give my best every day when I perform my work.

Little by little, the demand of work eats me up. I do a lot of things which should be done by two persons. But I don’t want to complain about it because there’s no such thing as nirvana in industry. No easy task. But what really mess my performance is the problem with the management and unmotivated people around me. It is very unhealthy place to stay. 

So, is it worth to stay? Based on the loooong list that I've mentioned, it is obvious that I don't need to. The company exists for 25 years with unsystematic culture and structure. It is difficult to break their system. I know because I tried to change it, nothing happened. I tried to influence the employees and initiate things. But all of their hopes are almost withered due to long wait and broken promises made by the management. They no longer believe the management because for 25 years no progress. Mostly, all promises are lip service.

My love of work and positive mind are gradually emptied by a lot of negative factors. I became demotivated, although I am still fighting for it, but I felt like there’s no use for me to stay. I don’t want to get up out of my bed because of the scenarios that play on my mind which I might encounter when going to work, although the negative scenes are not directly towards me, but seeing others being reprimanded in front of others highly affects me. 

I want to work because I want to learn and to grow. I want to be appreciated and I want to be a professional. I want to work because I want to share the things that I know and to openly admit that I don’t know everything but will be accepted and guided by my superiors. I want to work because I want to build strong and harmonious relationships with my coworkers. Isn’t it the work of an HR? Instead, being an HR in this company is like a curse. People are afraid to reach out and voice out their problems.

That's why I concede. I give up. I don't want to stay any longer. 

I want to give up because I believe and based on my experience that employees leave not because they are afraid nor they are weak. Sometimes employees leave because they are intelligent enough and strong enough to take some risk to continue their passion.

Life is too short to remain in a company that will not nurture my needs and will not bring out the best in me. If they think we need them, they need us more than we do. Too bad, they don’t realize that building the morale and the best in each employee will make their organization a success. Too bad, they only focus on their greed, I mean need.

I want to get out of that hell because their vision is different from mine. One important rule to become successful is to find the right people with the same vision. You work hand in hand to achieve the same goal. 

I just want to say this to Company X:

·       Building an organization is not common sense. It takes the marriage of science and practice for you to become successful. 

·      Success is not measured on how many properties you owned but on how well you connect with people. Success is getting a peaceful sleep at night. Success is character.

·  The asset of organization are people. All successful organizations know this and unfortunately, you don't know this. That's why until now, you are a waste.

·     Empowering each employee means empowering your company. Bringing out the best on each employee equals success of the company. 

·      Instead of opening channels for your business in which you don't have enough manpower and no scientific management, focus only on few things and increase its quality. You are holding too much properties, the qualities are sacrificed. 

·     Good bye! Good luck to your future endeavors and see you at the top! I hope to see you there someday.

     Sito Longges is now officially ready to land on another world. 

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