The parade of new VPs continues at the expense of merit increases and other meaningful benefits. The company expects more (“call to action”) from its employees and pledges HR in “helping employees to be their best”. Fair message except it is delivered among the reality the company has structured the merit pool such that certain segments of the company (even high performers) will not get a merit increase for the work and success the company lauds in the various town halls.
On the surveys, people don’t feel these surveys are truly anonymous and fear retribution if being honest. Couple all of this with continuing uncertainty in job descriptions that are going through a wholesale change with the expectation salaries will be downgraded and now promotions happening only once a year.
Suggestion: be transparent. If a large swath of the workforce is to be cut to reduce admin costs, say that. Don’t say this is being done to give back to the community. That answer is too standard. Especially where people are getting no merit increases but may be top performers, what incentive is there for them to stay and continue to excel and the company to remain competitive? Or is it a deliberate structure to purge? At the end of all this, expectation is a top heavy VP laden organization with a reduction in skilled staff. Carrying the load will be a green staff (marginally compensated) with the balance of work covered by consultants and outsourced resources at a high expense - the consultant group will be the “difference makers” with the minions tasked with executing their plan.