After talking to colleagues I get sense that everyone would without much hesitation agree to accept the first decent job they find and leave Windstream. We should all be aware though that grass is not always greener on the other side. I’m interested in what you focus on first when looking for a new job, or what is the number one thing you want to be different in a new company?
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Best way to avoid same mistakes is to never work at Windstream. If you unlucky enough to still be employed there you should not share any knowledge (otherwise you are training your replacements) and slow down work efforts until LR5 feels it is finally time to loosen the purse strings on worker pay.
TOO LONG has management scarfed all the bonus and pay increases. Get publicly vocal about how the LR5 has rewarded themselves over and over, especially when they seek any government money for rural broadband initiatives.
Windstream Employees lives Matter (WLM) - perhaps this can be the next Employee Resource Group - just need to push HR in this direction!
I worked at WS for over 8 years. In that time I learned I would NEVER go back to that complete disgrace of a horribly ran company. I've been unemployed as a result of getting my walking papers for nearly a YEAR now & I would still NEVER go work for that dump again. I'd rather go back to slaving in a kitchen than work at that God awful place. Mind you, most of my peers were great people. Its the executive leadership & overall direction that amazed me how bad it was. Even if I were to be hand delivered a job, without even applying or interviewing for, I'd not accept it b/c I know deep down I could be let go any day after that with no warning. This company has already seen disaster & doesn't know how to get out of it so its destined for pure failure. Take these statements as you will, but know they are from a seasoned, inside veteran of the place.
"Mergers that people moved onto my team and made 2X what I did for the same position because they lived in a major market. I can assure you their cost of living was not 2X of mine. "
The earthlink people were the worst about this. We had entry-level analysts on my team that came over from earthlink and were making more than the staff manager. No wonder the company was on the verge of bankruptcy.
And then our dumb butts came in and bought them and just added the negative cash flow to the load.
Yup. "less experience and got a higher starting wage" is all I've seen come in. I hate doing the job of these "consultants" who should have never been hired. Waiting my soon exist. Sick of not being cared for here...
Nailed it!
I moved around a few times over the years at WIN. If I did not I would have had stagnant pay. It also bothered me people came in after me with less experience and got a higher starting wage.
There were times over the year with the
Mergers that people moved onto my team and made 2X what I did for the same position because they lived in a major market. I can assure you their cost of living was not 2X of mine.
Someone is asleep at the wheel at HR or in Director or above leadership.
Agree that your losing money due to no pay increases. They don’t give a
Job security, financial compensation, heath benefits and mental health. Thats what I want from an employer and windstream checks none of those boxes. Employees rarely come back to work at Windstream, thats all you need to know
Competent leaders that are not so full of greed, who do not embrace nepotism and whom can occasionally tell the truth would be a nice change IMO.
However, biggest issue for me, and why I will be leaving Windstream, is the reality that unless you get a promotion or bonus your income will constantly decline due to inflation. All promotions above my existing position with Windstream are filled exclusively via the 'Buddy' system (inside joke), I have a 4 year degree and constantly told of the value I provide yet pleas regarding how I am falling behind due to inflation fall on deaf ears.
Over the 'way too many' years now that I have worked at Windstream my wages have only grown by an average 0.7% per year. Factoring in the government's stated inflation numbers of 2-3% during this same time period, it does not take a doctorate in mathematics to see how the return on efforts is constantly diminishing. Add in the ever increasing work loads and timeline pressures this witches brew results in one miserable place to stay employed.
Stability, growth, profitability.
Work environment , culture, employee engagement
Benefits, 401k, paid training
It's basically everything our culture survey tries to capture but fails to.
The grass is always greener on the other side of the hill....when you get there it is all sticker burrs.