I started in 2010 under the Rust years. The golden years of State Farm. Ed treated every employee like family. I worked in the old Mid America Zone and boy were we treated right. I had coworkers in the Murfreesboro and Newark offices who loved coming in. I knew people in Kalamazoo and Winter Haven who were working when Ed Sr still ran the place.
Fast forward to Tipsord. We knew he was going to change things, but he didn’t hide it. He knew what he wanted and despite the old culture pushing back and keeping him in check - after COVID he at least had some respect for us (although more likely he knew he was retiring soon and didn’t care anymore).
Now we have Farney. He’s been with the company for decades. Several soon to be retirees thought (as I did) that he’d bring back the golden era (or at least something akin to it). Boy were we all wrong. Everything that comes out of this man’s mouth is ‘we do it because our competitors do’. What happened to the State Farm that led this industry? What happened to the State Farm that treated customers like neighbors because executives treated employees like family?
It’s a sad day when people in the HUBs have to go in office more when 40% of the workforce gets to work from home full time. This company isn’t State Farm anymore and honestly I hope this year shows the board that the current C suite is not equipped to be leaders.