Hang in here with me on this one but someone needs to help get things straight around here.
The going might be good right now as far as workload is concerned. But what about when the local markets become saturated with the lastest and greatest products WS has to offer. Do you really think the workload will be there to support the amount of new hires in 5 yrs. I mean look at our original dsl. Once everyone that wanted it (or afford it) had it, we were right back to not replacing techs when they left or layoffs. Plus, an increase in workload (bonded orders) doesn't do or say anything about how WS still neglects the cable and basic maintenace required to run a decent phone company.
They are kicking the new hires out on their own as soon as they can read a HST3000 and do a basic modem install. You can't properly do a CST job without first knowing how to properly work POTS. But nobody cares anymore....."hey, modem trained and pulled an ip, we done...on to the next". I've watched new hires jump out with theit HST's and never go to the NID or put a butt set on a pair. I would put money down that 99% of new hires wouldn't even know how to use a tripplett.
Those of us who actually care about the customers, and will go out of our way to do whatever we can for the cust (screw time per task, etc...) are the ones that see the writing on the wall and don't drink the TT kool aid. We hear almost everyday from customers that if it wasn't for the select few of the techs in an area that they request, then they would have left WS years ago. Then throw in the fact that WS won't even entertain the idea of selling the customers products they want/need anymore. WS mentality has now become "if you want any of our products, you WILL buy what we TELL you to buy, not what you need". That's what made Lane's blog about Allworx being part of the W.E. portfolio even funnier. He just slammed Allworx and basically said no way in hell would it ever be part of the portfolio because that's not what "they" wanted to offer anymore.
So just because you think things are good because workload has increased and new hires are coming on board, please look deeper.
20 yrs ago, everyone had a HMO with the option of 5-6 providers (avmed, aetna, etc....) starting at less than $30 dollars a pay period. $10 co-pays, and $50 hospitals. Yes, every year our raise covered the increase in employee paid premiums, but it wasn't too bad. Now fast forward to S. Ford staying with Alltel and J. Gardner taking over the new WS. HMO's replaced by PPO's, premiums went up and we saw $300/600 deductibles come into play, but at a 20/80% rate with $20 co-pays. Still doable, but not great. Fast forward a few years later when TT takes over. Now $4000/8000, 100% deductibles, highest employee paid premiums, etc........we all know the story. So if you get sick one good time or have a kid, your $2 annual raise, because you jump a yearly scale in the pay progression doesn't cover the medical cost. Now try doing that with only a .75 cent raise for top outs, or no raise at all.
Oh, and only bargaining employees continue to get raises. Non-bargaining emplyees got none last year and is looking like that might be the way it is this year as well. And let's not forget that WS let close to a thousand go right before they put the annual match into their 401k. Why else to you think they are dragging out the HSA $600 this year into payments and not a lump sum at the beginning of the year like they did last year. Don't want to put out for all those they want to cut, or give to a B/U that's actively on the market. They want to safe that money as long as they can, helps the balance sheets.
Bargaining employees are really the only work groups with any form of security, only because most of the contracts state the company has to give any affected employees in a RIF at least a 30 day notice. That way they can't come in in their usual fashion and tell this person and that person they have five minutes to get their stuff and are escorted out the door. Plus the order of seniority means the more seasonned techs know they are good once they have 5-6 guys under them in seniority. They don't have to worry if their name is going to be pulled from the hat next.
No more emphasis on taking care of the employees anymore. But does that surprise anyone anymore, I mean when TT tells his employees on Stream that this place is not a prison, we don't lock the doors, leave if you don't like it. I'm sorry, when I hired on, the hiring manager told me he was hiring someone that would make a career out of the hired position, that he wasn't hiring someone who was just looking for a job.
Just one more nugget of truth....$24 was the going average for Stock when we spun off from Alltel. Around $13 was the price when TT took over. Today we are excited to see it break $1.70.
So the moral of this story is.......workload and tech hiring is not any form of an indicator as to the health of this company.
Excellent post by @SnSjNTu-1vov that more people needed to read. Hence its own post.