Crazy behaviour from large corporate company?

[Cial]

I work in a large pharmaceutical corporate company, department email sent by deputy manager warning that some of us are not working hard enough and that senior manager was purposely left out of email as it was a warning that she was watching us and would start questioning us if we didn’t start working harder.

I understand the warning but I think in a large company setting and with job security at risk that’s actually bad form to send that.

This was last Friday and now our department has been celebrated for achieving high turnaround in one week - not sure it’s appropriate to celebrate this when people have only worked harder through intense fear of losing their job.

So people aren’t pulling their weight, they’re warned about it and start working harder? I’m not really seeing the issue to be honest.

@Livoey

So people aren’t pulling their weight, they’re warned about it and start working harder? I’m not really seeing the issue to be honest.

This ^^ in a nutshell.

That it was done secretly, that our senior manager of the department was purposely left out the email because she was watching us all.

Nothing unusual there, especially for BigPharma.

I think it depends on the specifics

Ie did “working harder” entail cutting corners, or not following procedure etc?

It sounds like she's giving you all a chance to get your work standards up to scratch before involving the manager when surely it becomes disciplinaries rather than a warning?

Unless I've missed something it sounds like she's done yous a favour before involving him

@Cial

That it was done secretly, that our senior manager of the department was purposely left out the email because she was watching us all.

I'd be very surprised if the senior manager didn't see a copy of the email.

Either way, if people are now doing their jobs to their full capability, it sounds as though the email needed sending.

Deputy manager wanted to give a ‘heads up’ to everyone, which could be seen as a good thing.

I'll hazard a guess people were working hard in the first place?

I don't think I could do corporate. I know quite a few people who went there on grad schemes and really suffered. It's not a culture I would be able to cope with.

I think work is being rushed to give the appearance people are working harder but it’s creating a lot of mistakes and errors,

I just don’t think making people work harder through fear is a good thing.

@Cial

I think work is being rushed to give the appearance people are working harder but it’s creating a lot of mistakes and errors,

I just don’t think making people work harder through fear is a good thing.

I agree but I don't think it's unusual.

I wouldn’t like this, op. The non-performers should be spoken to individually rather than sending a threatening email to everyone. And I do see the comments about your senior manager as threatening.

I can see how this would go in teams I’ve worked in in the past: the conscientious up their game and stress even more, those confident in their positions (often older men close to retirement) think it’s bollocks and ignore, and the shirkers hide behind others and come up with excuses as per usual.

I’ve worked for a few “large pharmaceutical corporate companies” and it would be a highly unusual situation to tell a whole department to “work harder”. “Work smarter” to meet deadlines and KPIs has been the buzz phrase for quite a while now.

Was “work harder” the deputy manager’s exact wording? Or are you reading too much into it, like reading too much into the fact the head of department wasn’t copied into the email?

@nirvanaorbust

I’ve worked for a few “large pharmaceutical corporate companies” and it would be a highly unusual situation to tell a whole department to “work harder”. “Work smarter” to meet deadlines and KPIs has been the buzz phrase for quite a while now.

Was “work harder” the deputy manager’s exact wording? Or are you reading too much into it, like reading too much into the fact the head of department wasn’t copied into the email?

Why the “” for how I described the company?

I think it was that the email literally said senior manager was left out for a reason as she was watching us all - was what lead me to the conclusion that she was purposely left out the email for a reason.

I did paraphrase due to the not remembering it word for word. But yes it was said that some are not working hard enough.

If individuals are not working hard enough you deal with that as a manager with those individuals.
This is either because management are shit and cant manage individual poor performance. Or they hope by putting the fear of god into everyone, everyone works much harder. If staff are being properly managed, then that will inevitably mean either corners are cut or staff work longer unpaid hours.

Also senior manager,.could of been left out due to one of those where off the books they know about it, but from an official perspective, they could say as they were not included in the email, that they know nothing about it.

@Cial does it matter why I used quotation marks? But the fact that you picked up on this as the first thing you mention says to me that you are looking for things that may not be there in written communication. The title of the thread implied you were talking about a company wide problem - when this is a single email from someone senior in a single department, who may or may not be trying to manage under-performance by giving a general heads-up before taking more formal action.

As you’ve said that you are paraphrasing the content of the email, the obvious suggestion is that you ask colleagues what they thought about the email and see if they read it the same way as you.

@Cial

I work in a large pharmaceutical corporate company, department email sent by deputy manager warning that some of us are not working hard enough and that senior manager was purposely left out of email as it was a warning that she was watching us and would start questioning us if we didn’t start working harder.

I understand the warning but I think in a large company setting and with job security at risk that’s actually bad form to send that.

This was last Friday and now our department has been celebrated for achieving high turnaround in one week - not sure it’s appropriate to celebrate this when people have only worked harder through intense fear of losing their job.

Any updates on the current situation ?

I think it was that the email literally said senior manager was left out for a reason as she was watching us all - was what lead me to the conclusion that she was purposely left out the email for a reason.

How do you know senior manager was left out? I often use BCC to include management. Also, why would deputy manager need to inform senior manager if they were dealing with it?