There is nothing more satisfying...

[hover]

Or maybe he doesn't want to be management?

Of course, but that wasn't clear going in, hence my post...I was merely playing devils' advocate in keeping with my own experience.

And that is exclusive of "this economy" or "that economy", just what I take as common sense. But I appreciate the clarification on the OP's part. Best of luck to you.
H

 

[fo shizzle]

Learning to play well with others is key in the world of commerce.

In these uncertain times it pays to be well thought of. A simple scenario: a 30% drop in sales makes clear the need to get rid of 2 people in your dept. Both you and your co-worker have similar skill-sets. People like him. People don't like you.

You're at the unemployment office Monday wondering what happened.

 

[nortonrider]

Well...good for you, sometimes "sugar coating" things must end and issues HAVE to be spelled out in black and white. A company is a team effort and all must be pulling for the same goal.

Why do managers always seem so ineffective and out of touch? It's called the Peter Principal. In a nutshell; It means that a person rises to the level of their own incompetence. I'm not making it up.

But really... "warehouse Grunt"??? is that how you guys think of your material handlers? ...the dudes that actually do the work the superiors take credit for?

If that is the case, I can see a precident at your company for not taking the concerns of the "subordinates" seriously, which is why you have been getting blown off by a person "above" you.

 

[Phalex]

"In an organization an individual rises to his level of incompetence."

Meaning that as you do jobs and do them well, they promote you to different jobs as long as you do them well. As soon as you land the job that you no longer do very well, you won't get promoted out of that position and languish there for eternity.

 

[CrispyDelicious]

But really... "warehouse Grunt"??? is that how you guys think of your material handlers? ...the dudes that actually do the work the superiors take credit for?

If that is the case, I can see a precident at your company for not taking the concerns of the "subordinates" seriously, which is why you have been getting blown off by a person "above" you.

When I say "warehouse grunt", I did mean it in the perspective of some of senior staff here. When I was hired, I was working part-time doing the most simplistic of tasks. There were (and are) warehouse employees here that are very skilled at what they do, whereas I was schlepping boxes, changing lightbulbs, and whatnot a couple days a week to make some extra cash - I was a grunt, unlike the actual skilled warehouse employees.

But yes, sadly, the majority of office and sales staff here do view those guys as below them (which is funny, because the warehouse guys make more than they do ). They have that "labour is below me" attitude, and even some of the execs give off that vibe. It's a very caste-like place, this one.

 

[nortonrider]

When I say "warehouse grunt", I did mean it in the perspective of some of senior staff here. When I was hired, I was working part-time doing the most simplistic of tasks. There were (and are) warehouse employees here that are very skilled at what they do, whereas I was schlepping boxes, changing lightbulbs, and whatnot a couple days a week to make some extra cash - I was a grunt, unlike the actual skilled warehouse employees.

But yes, sadly, the majority of office and sales staff here do view those guys as below them (which is funny, because the warehouse guys make more than they do ). They have that "labour is below me" attitude, and even some of the execs give off that vibe. It's a very caste-like place, this one.

It is not just your company, the "they're just labor" mentality is prevelant at they majority of businesses I have been associated with. It is basically disrespect, and disrespect is a cancer that will eat away at the ability of a company to be efficent.

That train of thought can be traced back up the food chain to one or two high level employees (usually the owners). From what I have seen, sales people and office people are the worst offenders.

You know.. no matter how menial the task, (box schlepping, lightbulb changing, ect) , that stuff needs to get done just as much as trying to land a new sales account, and it is certainly more important than the Office girl who thinks her job is planning the once a week lunch hour birthday party for an employee.

 

[L-A]

It is not just your company, the "they're just labor" mentality is prevelant at they majority of businesses I have been associated with. It is basically disrespect, and disrespect is a cancer that will eat away at the ability of a company to be efficent.

I can't agree more with this statement. It is the reason for many of the warnings in this thread. A manager with a bad attitude can get the good-working guys fired for an intervention like that of the OP. However, the day this manager realizes the extent of the damage he's done, he will probably get it even rougher, either by the upper levers reacting, or if he's at the top, by the company's business plummeting.

 

[Unrepresented]

I'm a teamster with a short fuse and a huge self-righeous streak. Your story is my story, with higher frequency.