Does anyone know of anything going down this week? I had a weird interaction with my RM that makes me think something may be going down.
22 replies (most recent on top)
In reply to Betsy Wetsy.
It seems that region hasn't had much luck with RMs since JS was let go.
Karma's a bi--h.
If you were in region 40, the interaction might have been weird as well. When I checked in April, there were 45 stores in the region. Now its down to 35, and I know there's two more stores that closed last week(I did hear that the RM for that region is basically heartless, so it could just be karma). I'm not sure if that's what is going on around the company, but it should be making us all a little nervous.
This is a site that is based on employees getting nervous about their jobs and gossiping about rumors that may or not be true, so if you know the family and probably only got your job because of that, maybe this isn't the site for you. Otherwise, your are totally welcome to share information, but stop whining because we're hurting your frat bros feelings.
If your RM was BL, all interactions were weird but since he’s no longer with Follett, guess this could mean anything.
And I’d say a good portion of the rumors here have been true. There are people in the know that still care about Follett and want to see is succeed but also want the rest of us to be aware of our own possible Follett mortality. We all have an expiration date.
For those that want us to stand up and contact management, no thanks. If you don’t fall in line with JH for example and do as you’re told, regardless of position, you end up on the list and one way or another, you’re not going to be with Follett much longer. Plus, emails to the CEO are routed through an assistant anyway so, good luck.
TL, ML, CF, CT and their ilk are 4th generation and they’re destroying what the prior 3 generations built over 100 years. BF is basically useless which I imagine will be the 5th generation’s contribution. Social media and blog posts that nobody reads. Though doing nothing is better than the 4th generation fake business people still trying to convince themselves they’re important strategists and leaders while ki----g the goose that laid their golden egg.
I feel better knowing it was the 4TH Gen!
From the below, one 5th Gen just move into a leadership role in Library so how did they destroy FHEG? Maybe the 4th Gen? Or maybe it was Trump?! Or maybe you should look up the org chart from you.
So strictly speaking the 5th gen destroyed the family business not the 6th. That should make everyone in the family feel better! The 5th gen hired all the best and brightest from Kmart and Sears. Yeah!
Message is asking for 6th Gen.
BF is 5th for sure
Please name who? Or give initials.
Really? Check your Follett Family Directory.
Are you really blaming infants? I know some of the family in the business, and asked how many 6th Gen there are in the business, and was met with laughter as that Gen is no more than probably 12 years old.
First time poster, long time lister, and also an “Ivory Tower” team member.
As many of those I work with have done, find a different job if you are this miserable. I do not mean that in a rude manner, but mean it very sincerely.
My other concern is with this site in general. If you don’t care about your job, and hate it as deeply as poster seem to, then be a change agent and standup for you and your peers in a public forum, not behind Anonymous.
Their are webcasts, Follett Central, or he-l even email the CEO.
Stand up for what you believe in and make a change or leave trying.
I am an “Ivory Tower” team member, and would like to state for the record that we have been cut just as deep.
Though we are not the ones pushing the buttons in store, stocking the shelves, or working in the application, we ARE the ones keeping them running and developing them to enhance sales capabilities and keep outdated systems running nights, days, and weekend on a shoestring budget. Again, I know you are working those hours also.
I can say that I am easily doing four jobs and it has hurt my personal life greatly also. I am not discounting what you in the field are saying, but this is not an “us verse them”.
If you are not feeling appreciated, I would strongly urge you to voice that concern as the field branch of leadership is different than the Home Offices.
Also, over 90% of the HO team members make as much as a store manager and are salary. This means no overtime and more unbearable hours. Around 8% make between a Regional Manager and Group Vice Presidents salary and the remaining 2% are SVP and above levels. You do not see us saying cut Regional Managers and Group Vice Presidents.
We are not driving in on gold chariots, and are trying to get by and support our families.
Again, look at your org on the Quad and write your leadership a message.
I would like to see HO lay off half the VP's and have other other half do their work and the laid off VP's work too. That's what they expect of the associates in the field to do. Field associates are where the revenue stream begins and the face the customers see. Hard choices for sure but less chiefs doing more would make good sense. Right?
There have been many laid off in the field and HO through the years. This does happen. Follett cannot be doing that great right now.
The question of all questions…if labor is such an issue, then why do we still have too many useless VPs?
They are buddies of the family. Milking the payroll while the customer facing employees are cut. The family is tone deaf. If you worked for Follett 25 years ago, it was a completely different company. 5th and 6th gen family has destroyed the company.
This site is a true picture of our culture. The lack of true transparency in the field horrible. This is proven by the amount of turn over in the field. People do not willing leave great companies. More than not, people with this company have been told to leave or are jumping ship because of the lack of quality leadership poor company culture. Just look at how many openings this company has in the field and at HQ. The question of all questions…if labor is such an issue, then why do we still have too many useless VPs?
A handful of claims over the years have been correct. What about the daily claims that aren't? What do you think the actual success rate is of people making these claims? 1%? It's likely even less than that.
It's rumors and guessing and, yes, very very very very rarely someone guesses right. But even a broken clock is right twice a day.
It's important for readers here to realize that there's no authority figures posting here with in depth knowledge of future plans. Heck, the senior leadership themselves likely doesn't know their future plans. It's just gossip and fear mongering.
To the last poster’s last claim: not true. There have been claims here over the years—of specific layoffs, department mergers or position consolidations— that were very much fulfilled within days or a couple of weeks. There are people who post here who are in the know. Respect that.
People see what they wanna see. Haven't heard from your RM this week? We're all getting fired!!! Heard from your RM every day this week? That's weird, something is up, we're all getting fired!! Your RM ate tuna instead of egg salad for lunch? We're all getting fired and Follett is shutting down!!
All this site has become is fear mongering. None of these predictions ever come true.
Don’t know of anything. How was the interaction weird?