A friend of mine at work in the bank said they were put on a PIP for not meeting Average Handle Time (AHT) on their calls. This friend has been with the company more than 10 years and has an impeccable service record and has consistently been above standard on all metrics. They found at that each representative has a different goal for AHT. What is the company doing and why? Member and employee ratification is at an all time low. I don't get it.
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Exactly. And after Wayne and his sc-m pull the chutes, the board will install shiny, “kind” new faces who will have touchy freely messages to recover the morale from us survivors in the crater of the blast zone, but will still be liberal with the size of workload (but as a team!) and stingy with promotions and raises (at least in USAA terms, the raises might still be than some other places.)
But it’s all part of a plan, and this is how companies enter these soulless cycles that USAA resisted. Undoubtedly USAA had a lot of bloat, even a lot of unproductive people. But it was still profitable because plenty of people were productive and everyone genuinely cared for our members. Maybe some leaders were old fashioned, but they still made sure that whatever happened, they managed their teams in a way that kept the members happy.
That’s what we’re losing, and that’s why we’re losing money. It’s so depressing after a long tenure at this company, I would never have thought the enlargement of the bank and all the chaos it created would be what destroyed us.
Their goal is to encourage employees to leave the company without compensation packages or unemployment. This is their goal, plain-and-simple.
I understand why some still question this. USAA "used to be" a fairly decent employer.
They are not fair, decent, nor honorable in any way, shape or form any longer.
Senior staff is expensive. But I'm sure they are more than happy to do this to anyone.
The management that is doing this "plan" are being handsomely compensated. They will pull the string on their golden parachutes once their dirty deeds are done.
At the same time they are doing these PIPs in PHX for the Bank they have a posting up dated 9/5/23 for Bank Reps starting around $43K. Are they trying to purge senior more highly paid reps?
I hear they are doing the PIPs for those in the bank for not meeting some metric of Average Handle Time. Also heard this is only happening in Phoenix, NOT San Antonio? What is going on?
Are they trying to get rid of seniors and leads? Do they perceive these roles as just unnecessary layers of management? Maybe the goal is to have directors with large groups of lower paid analysts. I don't think they realize how much of the work seniors and leads do. Nominally they may be supervising but that is not how it works in practice. They need to google "Chesterton's Fence".
First loss in 100 years, think they'll skip the holiday bonus too?
So, here is my take. Like everyone says they are loosing millions of dollars and seem to be targeting senior employees regardless of past performance. So, the roll out a PIP process for Average Handle Time and target the señior employees to try to get them to quit or fire them for cause so they don't have to pay unemployment. At the same time the company is rolling out on 10/12/ signing some agreement that you can't sue. All this right before the end of the year Christmas bonus and pay out early next year for bonus. Also, we were told they are hiring at the same time. I can't believe this is happening as I have been an exemplary employee for well more than 11 years now this and just a few years from retirement. Need to find a way to start a Class Action for age discrimination
By the way, not that big heads rolling will fix the problem. Until Wayne and the toxic members of the board our ousted, we will continue to spiral. That or we will just implode.
@1mpc+1ozRGIAk
The Board may be in cahoots with Wayne and blind to the cares of employees and members… but the regulators aren’t. And when the hammer comes down, we won’t have the manpower to meet their expectations. That’s when the big heads will start to roll.
I also think their tactics are transparent. They are bleeding $, have executives pulling in large "rewards" for this whole fiasco, and are continually caught in their "strategies"(hence the hefty fines and other lawsuits by ex-employees and members).
I do not believe they are untouchable
I personally am waiting for the other shoe to drop, to see the fallout.
First, they te--orize employees to get them to resign or be fired, then they bind our hands with this tool that says "if you try to get us for what we are intentionally doing to harm you and your families, we will block you."
I term this "intentional infliction of emotional distress" that cause so many, as reported here, to go to doctors for distress. And perhaps even worse.
So, I've been trying to figure out why USAA chose the PIP route instead of outright firings/layoffs.
- Layoff <--incurs expense since these folks are entitled to settlement packages (up to 1 year if in Bank) and/or unemployement; the figures also "look bad".
- Firings<--probably "messy", especially, once again, in large numbers.
Ideal situation is to have employees voluntarily leave (I looked it up, and "trickery" is allowed in "at will" employment; this does not make sense to me, because why don't they just use layoff/firing?).
What occurs to me is that I recall reading somewhere that the 1 year settlement package was an agreement of USAA with ? It was an agreement, I just don't know with what agency. So, why was that agreement put into place? And is the violation really with that agency, for not going the "correct" route of letting the employee go with a settlement?
Also, "trickery" sure sounds illegal to me. Why is an employer protected? It seems to me that the hand is tilted in the employer's favor, and we definitely need better employee "rights/protections".
The PIP process is bound to make any employee feel confused, but especially if you feel that you do not have poor performance. If you are put on a PIP that came out of the blue with no discussion or is next to impossible to perform, that could be a red flag. If that is the case, it could be a sign that someone at the company wants to get rid of you.
Above is a quote from an employment lawyer's website. I have read similar verbage on several sites. Most sites reported that PIPs are archaic and not effective even when used in a sincere way.
Translation: it is used to performance an individual out.
USAA is only sincere in getting rid of employees. Not only have they proven to be outright liars wrt RTO, but also fraudulent in doing the right thing with severance packages and unemployment.
USAA is one of the worst employers I have ever worked for in a long IT career.
Do NOT work for them. Ever. Tigers do not change their stripes.
It isn't abnormal for a corporation to have a performance management process. It is abnormal that USAA didn't until recently. Expectations need to be clearly set by management, and support given to the workers to meet or exceed those goals. When that doesn't happen, Performance Improvement Plans are a vehicle to make expectations more clear and turn the performance around.
You’re friend is too expensive and needs to go. WP has a new CTO on the way that needs a giant pay check.
New initiative to fire people instead of laying off. The company is down bad losing billions upon billions the last 3 or 4 years. This may be a last gasp effort to stay afloat but they are going to be hirting. Anyone that works here or continues to work here on purpose will feel pain.
PIP stands for pleasure in pain
I was put on PIP for restroom breaks over 15 minutes total in a 10 hour plus day. I resorted to going in a bucket while on calls to save my job. Talk about making sh-t up 🍋💩
Do I have to be on PIP to participate in the class action law suit?
The goal is "encouraged" attrition. I know that it may be hard to believe, but this has been consistent USAA behavior.
Advise your friend to keep track of everything. USAA is trying to avoid severance packages and unemployment. The only way we can prove this is by having so many cases of false PIPs and firings, that the pattern becomes very clear.
Also, keep all evidence. My prayer is that we all have our day in court.
In 16 years of working there, we NEVER focused on AHT. EVER. Just another sign that they are becoming like every other call center. They need to go back to calling people "reps" cause they sure as he-l aren't being treated like "insurance professionals" anymore!
Tenure is considered when mangers are rewarded with incentives for saving the company money by throwing out trash and gold alike, think Logan's Run 🤣
Man, all these member contact type employees, i feel for ya. Its a tough job as it is and then have to be belittled with a pip for something so stupid….