It seems that just about everyone on here throws out accusations of mismanagement and points fingers at MLS and her "group". No examples of actual bad deeds are ever given.
Is there a problem at Follett? Yes. Can we do better? Yes. But pointing fingers and making claims without any facts is unproductive.
If you're going to post something on here, don't be vague about it! Post something concrete. Post something that we can all get behind and can take action on.
No memos/emails that I am aware of. Just verbal meetings of senior staff and then lower level managers.
Renaissance 1 and Renaissance 2? Were there any presentations, internal memos or conference calls about this? I took notes on Project Blue, but as (and I suspect this was deliberate) it was a verbal directive and not written, I cannot provide more information save corroboration by others affected. I can also tell you there was no mention about intentional disciplinary write ups in the conference call I attended.
I thought the code name was project renaissance 1 and renaissance 2
Yes project Blue included long tenured employees at the home office. It also included writes up for anything possible and humilation tactics to let people go or have them quit to avoid paying severance.
I know regulars are going to become annoyed it keeps being brought back as a thread, but I feel obligated to answer; Project Blue was the title given to FHEG's own Pogrom. I don't know if it was limited to the 'right sizing' of just field stores, or if it encompassed the purges in HR at the home office the summer before, but it happened in the second week of November, 2013. Over 650 field store managers received notification on a Thursday morning that they were required to attend a teleconference call that same day. They were required to 'go somewhere private' where remaining members of HR and our very own Paul D read a script that stated tenured employees in Assistant Store Manager roles were to be eliminated. They would then be offered part time non-exempt hourly positions if they chose to remain on staff. This would allow a more dynamic staffing system during peak periods of the year. The following day they would, at close of day, attend a conference call with their manager, who would sit idly while they were fired. The day after via FedEx overnight they would receive a severance package with important information. Following the call they were to be escorted off the premises, by security if necessary, and not allowed to remain. They would be required to sign a non-disclosure regarding the event and store managers were expected to maintain a positive tone about how this would help allow the store to better meet customer's needs. Performance reviews were irrelevant (in my own experience, those given to the affected employee were stellar) as was tenure. In many instances, stores of small size were now left with a single employee. These employees were expected to maintain full operational standards, be they ill, or even wanting something as simple as a lunch break or to visit the restroom. In at least once incident an affected party was actually on paid vacation during the purge, and came back from it the week after only to be fired on the spot. Redundancies happen. Layoffs happen (hence, this board.) Hamfisted decrees by Bloody Mary and carried out by asinine goons like Paul D, these are unique to the Follett condition.
What the hell is project blue. Get rid of long tenured employees?
Some did go to court and were paid off with the silence agreement. Others were paid with min severance right before Christmas again had to sign a silence agreement luckily for Follett they put their families holidays before the interest of a valid law suit. Then some lost their homes afterwardss which didn't seem possible after working 18 plus years and made them wonder if they should have refused the severance and fought. Easier for people without children to make that choice.
Original poster: you can go to hell.
You OBVIOUSLY are either a Follett brownnoser, or someone that has never had any experience with Follett to even MAKE such a post.
Let's start with just ONE example:
Follett NO LONGER expresses any appreciation for the work done by workers.
at the risk of getting myself found out, I'll adopt a pseudonym. As the person who has commented on Project Blue in the past as well as some financial performance for FHEG, perhaps that might help. Then again I am making it easier to figure out who I am.
Seriously????? Post facts. There are two issues with this: 1) depending on the situation, it could be illegal, 2) If no one got behind the issues while employed there, no one is going to get behind them now.
Seriously????? Post facts. There are two issues with this: 1) depending on the situation, it could be illegal, 2) If no one got behind the issues while employed there, no one is going to get behind them now.
Not only that, the new POS was discontinued by Oracle before Follett rolled out past 75 stores. You will be replacing this NEW pos again in the next few years. Who was the strategic decision maker behind its selection.
I may be wrong but I am guessing your a newbie. Hold on to your seat as sales declines and more contracts lost, even newbies will suffer the same treatment when they want you out. Also if the leadership is so wonderful what have they come with? They had a POS for the tablet in beta coming in, threw it out and now three years and millions dollars later they have another one in less than seventy five stores. Oh and a new website.
Leave MLS alone, she's the next best thing to slice bread and DG is the knife that slice the bread.
I completely agree. I was written up due to lies which two colleagues later told me they were coerced into telling. This new regime is very unethical and have been positioned to get away with murder. HR Generalist hinted around to me several times to go ahead and leave because Director was after me.
High level senior level management in HR unethically buried reports of harassment and brutality. Add to that the ridiculous amounts of intimidation practice and retaliation in a non retaliation culture and POLICY. This is NOT hearsay. MLS was approached directly about this and she remained silent, making her culpable.
Under MLS' teams' tenure the long term, professional staff was brutalized. When HR was notified, they covered up rather investigate. That is no accident. That is by design. HR can't defend management unless they are told what management is doing. HR's action or inaction was informed. They knew employees were being abused until they quit or until they could be fired. HR documented, intimidated, obfuscated, prosecuted and defended for management in service of management's plan. The frustrating part is the cost benefit correlation wasn't there. It would have made more sense to cut severance checks and simply fire the experienced staff. They spent more on defending the brutality because the brutality was more valuable than the money. The colleagues of the brutalized would either fall into line, or they'd resign with the knowledge that they were next. This belongs to MLS. This belongs to the family (shareholders). What a dirty and corrupt group of people.
Firing full time employees and then offering that they can come back at a lower wage without benefits while mls spends 25k redoing her office she is only going to use for a few months before she got another redecorated office in the new building. The cost of that one even more.
Ethical companies would have given an option for a buy out severance package for long term employees. Instead this company targeted employees by age and how long they worked at Follett who had good track records for years and initiated abusive tactics including but not inclusive to trivial write ups, shutting people out from necessary tools, information and meeting necessary to do their jobs and intimidation. Basically just making people's lives miserable with the objective to have them quit instead of having to pay severance.
yes, please.