| Topic Name: |
Advice needed |
| Message Name: |
scare tactics/ethics |
| Date Posted: |
03/18/2003 |
| In Reply To: |
I currently work for a software startup company.
The company is doing well overall in this slow economy.
However, there are several practices this company has that I find unethical.
1) We are in the middle of a product release and since fall of last year we have had a complete change in upper management including a new CEO and VP of engineering.
I have noticed that these new managers use acare tactics to 'motivate' employees. Both of them have mentioned that once the product is released they will lay people off.
2) They have imposed a strict
wage freeze.
3) They are aggressively hiring new software engineers as well as people in all other aspects of the company.
I have been there for less than six months and during this time, we have had many new people in management as well as in professional services.
Everyday I give 200%. Yet,
i feel that my best is not good enough.
Do you think management's practices are ethical?
Thanks,
Under Pressure
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| Message: |
I know this is not going to sound encouraging, but here goes: the sad truth is that start-ups with narrow product do not have the capital to do more than lay people off once the product is on its way. What is needed following a launch requires a different skill set. Although logic would dictate that "contract workers" would probably be in order, in this circumstance, contract workers will not be as "invested"
If seniors are already discussing layoffs within earshot, you will have to maybe try tactics of your own to improve morale: examine opportunities to broaden the skill set--yours and others,or, during the hiring phase, look at candidates who have "service" or "account management" experience as well as development or programming. A strong argument can be made to persuade managers to look at employees more than 1-dimensionally. Training for existing employees to help the company into the 'next phase" is key and attractive, so it is a point you have to try and make. The other important point is to help identify other niche product uses or other markets for the developed product: innovative companies must do this all the time.
You sound stressed: take a very deep breath and see how you and fellow employees can work from within to shift to more (possibly) constructive activities.
The other important issue is this: if some of the above suggestions are viable and simply being ignored, recognize that everybody there wants to be there for the short-term hit only.That's when you have to examine your own motives, and maybe recognize that start-ups are not your thing.
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