Company Slumlords
When hearing the term "slumlords" we instantly think of real estate owners who allow the deterioration of their property for financial gain. They are sometimes called "absentee landlords." This term suggests that the owners have little knowledge of the condition of the property and as long as the money is coming in, that's all that matters. In many cases they operate in violation of the law but are seldom found out.
Unfortunately there are companies that I call "ethical slumlords." Let me give you an example of just one company I know of who has cast aside ethical and legal practices for the almighty dollar and how the corporate office has become "absentee slumlords."
My best friend works for a Real Estate related enterprise. This is a large company with properties in several locations through out the U.S. I can not speak for all locations, but have some first hand knowledge of how one of them operate. Here is a list of their "slumlord" behavior.
* Violation of Title VII as it relates to sexual harassment in the work place which manifests it's self in daily lude, filthy language.
* Hazing of new employees.
* Rampant drug and alcohol use among employees which includes managers.
* Favoritism/Discrimination.
* Unethical practices of compensation distribution opportunities.
* Intimidation.
* Criticism in place of training.
* Motivation through fear tactics.
This is an old established company. The present management team on site have run this operation for years. They have made the owners a lot of money. The corporate office located thousands of miles away has little knowledge of how things are operating, they are only interested in quarterly sales. The HR function is almost non existent and the cooperation between other departments can be labeled as hostile. The sad thing is there are some really good people who work for this firm, but now they find themselves in survival mode until jobs are easier to find.
When Sam Walton (founder of Wal-Mart) was alive he made a habit to be in stores every week to see what was going on. He was watching to see if the employees attitudes and behaviors matched the company values and how they were treating the customer. He was checking with employees to see how they were doing and if they needed anything in order to be successful and take care of the customer.
Having a Value Statement in your handbook means nothing if actions do not match the words. In these tough economic times just getting the sale is not enough. Take a look at your organization. Do you have managers who are acting unethically, shady or questionable? Don't hide you head in the sand! Don't be a company "slumlord" by default. Insist on compliance with the law and with doing what is right. In the long run your company will prosper. It may also save you a lot in legal and settlement fees.
Unfortunately there are companies that I call "ethical slumlords." Let me give you an example of just one company I know of who has cast aside ethical and legal practices for the almighty dollar and how the corporate office has become "absentee slumlords."
My best friend works for a Real Estate related enterprise. This is a large company with properties in several locations through out the U.S. I can not speak for all locations, but have some first hand knowledge of how one of them operate. Here is a list of their "slumlord" behavior.
* Violation of Title VII as it relates to sexual harassment in the work place which manifests it's self in daily lude, filthy language.
* Hazing of new employees.
* Rampant drug and alcohol use among employees which includes managers.
* Favoritism/Discrimination.
* Unethical practices of compensation distribution opportunities.
* Intimidation.
* Criticism in place of training.
* Motivation through fear tactics.
This is an old established company. The present management team on site have run this operation for years. They have made the owners a lot of money. The corporate office located thousands of miles away has little knowledge of how things are operating, they are only interested in quarterly sales. The HR function is almost non existent and the cooperation between other departments can be labeled as hostile. The sad thing is there are some really good people who work for this firm, but now they find themselves in survival mode until jobs are easier to find.
When Sam Walton (founder of Wal-Mart) was alive he made a habit to be in stores every week to see what was going on. He was watching to see if the employees attitudes and behaviors matched the company values and how they were treating the customer. He was checking with employees to see how they were doing and if they needed anything in order to be successful and take care of the customer.
Having a Value Statement in your handbook means nothing if actions do not match the words. In these tough economic times just getting the sale is not enough. Take a look at your organization. Do you have managers who are acting unethically, shady or questionable? Don't hide you head in the sand! Don't be a company "slumlord" by default. Insist on compliance with the law and with doing what is right. In the long run your company will prosper. It may also save you a lot in legal and settlement fees.
posted by Bill at
4:58 PM
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