Gone in the blink of an eye - employees

[Agent_zed]

Is it just where I work or are others finding that people are hired and then leave pretty much instantly.

We hired a new line manager that would be in charge of me and after about a week he stopped responding and left for 'personal reasons' (most likely offered more money)

So we hired again and this time we had a woman who after a month wanted to go to 4 days a week, fair enough others in the org do the same. decided that wasn't going to work for her and left.

Another employee started yesterday and I see has now left with immediate effect.

Another left recently after only a few months.

I don't think it's our org as it's the best place I've worked.

Are we just unlucky?

 

[Spectric]

A big change in working culture, people want a lot for doing as little as possible. I would be asking questions about the interview process because if you have a triangular hole and they are recruiting square pegs then they will not stay if they find either the job is not as described or they find themselves way out of their depth. The working place is also a very sterile enviroment these days and maybe the recruits are not liking the atmosphere.

Is it a manufacturing business or ?

 

[TomGW]

I used to work in local govt and the interview, security clearance process would be lengthy and involved. However, we had one new employee who went out for lunch on the first day and was never heard of again.

 

[Agent_zed]

A big change in working culture, people want a lot for doing as little as possible. I would be asking questions about the interview process because if you have a triangular hole and they are recruiting square pegs then they will not stay if they find either the job is not as described or they find themselves way out of their depth. The working place is also a very sterile enviroment these days and maybe the recruits are not liking the atmosphere.

Is it a manufacturing business or ?

Its a medium size charity. Not really high pressure or anything. Annoyingly the lady who was my line manager that left was actually pretty good to work with.

unless it's me... as they say if you can't see the crazy person on the bus, then maybe you are the crazy person!

 

[imageel]

As a long term 30y+ IT contractor working for primarily Financial institutions in the City of London I can sympathise - I had one contract in a well known Commodities Exchange where after 1.5 days into the role I realised the guy I reported to was a Luddite who would not countenance interim 'fixes' to p-poor operational procedures that would have improved service levels and reduced pressure on operational staff whilst allowing for more strategic changes to be planned and implemented to move the systems and services into the 21st Century.
Needless to say I walked out and left them to it, I did feel bad about the agency rep who got me the role, however if the client is so entrenched in their beliefs I certainly was not about to roll over and take it up the back passage....
My view was always that of calling out faults, errors and bad practices in the knowledge I could offer solutions/workarounds to at least ameliorate their effects whilst the ivory tower architects could work out the strategic fixes...

 

[Jameshow]

Its a medium size charity. Not really high pressure or anything. Annoyingly the lady who was my line manager that left was actually pretty good to work with.

unless it's me... as they say if you can't see the crazy person on the bus, then maybe you are the crazy person!

Yeap in the charity I work in we have had 4 CEOs in 7 years. There is a core team who have been around for 10+years. But then lots of people who have gone between 1-2 years. Probably only a few have stayed for days usually apprentices who didn't fit in..

 

[AJB Temple]

People see working for a charity as a stop gap often I suspect. Low paid and not career enhancing. Many charities are quite exploitative employers.

 

[HOJ]

unless it's me

Didn't want to say anything, but there is always a common denominator...

 

[Terry - Somerset]

The pandemic changed the world as oldies knew it. Final salary pensions are a rarity. The gold watch has been replaced by early retirement or redundancy as hard won skills become obsolete.

Work from home became a right not an unusual privilege. Furlough paid those doing nothing (some support was necessary). Online meetings became the norm,. Work could be conducted from the home office or deck chair in the garden on sunny days.

Post pandemic vacancies were high and unemployment low. If you take a dislike to the job, manager, colleagues or simply want more money or more flexible conditions you move on.

Employers fed the proposition that long term and permanent were old hat. Changing market conditions prompted rapid strategic changes to remain competitive. Retail substantially shifted on-line. Bank branches closed. Money replaced by cards and apps. Etc.

So I am unsurprised that some feel no loyalty towards their employer - they are merely a source of what pays the bills until something better comes along. With unemployment increasing slightly and job vacancies falling, perhaps there will be a resurgence in the benefits of long term.

 

[Sideways]

It could just be coincidence / bad luck.

It could be something that quickly turns people off.
I had a guy quit after a couple of weeks once because he just couldn't handle the duration of the commute on top of a full day. Big city traffic made it a bear and his family wanted him home for the kids teatime. I have sympathy but in the senior job he was hired for you don't get that luxury.

Is the job being oversold to the new hires ? Or the demands not being explained to them ? Is there an atmosphere / environment problem ?
If you realise you made a mistake, best to cut losses quickly because a gap of a couple of weeks in a CV is easily "lost" in the noise and doesn't need to be explained.

It could be a job that just doesn't inspire and a hiring process that doesn't ask the right questions.

 

[Spectric]

A company is only as good as it's employee's and they tend to mature together, no one fits right in on day one but over time they all become a team and progress together. If the new culture is here today and gone tommorow then the company will not reach full potential. Loyality works both ways, the company needs to value the workforce and they need to deliver for the company. Working from home will be the death knell for a lot of companies, working solo in isolation is not conclusive to a team and when working as part of a design team you can easily bounce ideas or thoughts off each other.

If you accept anything for doing something for someone it is classed as taxable income, this means that working from home is really a perk where you save the cost of the commute so if our chancellor wants to raise income then for those working from home just remove the tax break so they pay tax on everything. Some jobs in IT can be ok from home but many need more management and supervision than working in the office.

Its a medium size charity. Not really high pressure or anything.

Maybe you are recruiting to young, some jobs suit the older approaching retirement type that have got out of their high pressure career and just want something for a few years that is more leisurely. Many jobs in the charity sector are volunteers and these people work for the geting out and social aspect as they do not need the money so maybe another option where a volunteer would like the job for the challenge rather than money.

 

[Sideways]

This is absolutely not a pop at @Agent_zed because I'd like to think my experience is the exception rather than commonplace, but I have come to have a sceptical view of some aspects of charities.
I had some interaction with the management team of one and was very much disappointed. Overpaid and underperforming, there were individuals who I would have put under strict performance review and dismissed ASAP.
It annoyed me that there were many volunteers working hard while a bunch of amateurs received generous salaries, took time off when it suited them, repeatedly failed to deliver and were never held to account.
A problem from the top man and trustees downward.

 

[Spectric]

I'd like to think my experience is the exception rather than commonplace

You may not be a minor exception, I have always wondered why so many charities are sitting on so much money rather than using it for the good.

You only have to read https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...investment-portfolio-instead-handing-out.html

then my misus worked as a volunteer for a small charity shop and was not happy about the fact that there were paid staff in an office who worked very little, were really incompetant and then to top it off would keep all the gifts like chocolates donated to the staff at xmas for themselves.

 

[Phill05]

It annoyed me that there were many volunteers working hard while a bunch of amateurs received generous salaries, took time off when it suited them, repeatedly failed to deliver and were never held to account.
A problem from the top man and trustees downward.

I agree I have seen 1st hand this happening over the years with three charities in my area that my wife has been a volunteer with.

 

[Jester129]

Having worked and also (currently) volunteering, some of the management wouldn't stand a chance in a production environment. They think they are overworked when doing almost nothing, and quickly go into panic mode when an event out of the ordinary occurs. I actually applied for a job at said charity, and didn't even get an interview! I asked the question why and got told, "We had quite a few 'high fliers' apply you know." I gave up, having been in manufacturing and production as a supervisor and manager for 30 years. I continue to volunteer, steering clear of bothering to even look at the vacancies when they arise. I officially retire with my state pension next month, to supplement my private pensions (that I will accordingly be taxed on thanks to the freeze on tax thresholds of this government that I helped to gain power by voting for them).

 

[Agent_zed]

This is absolutely not a pop at @Agent_zed because I'd like to think my experience is the exception rather than commonplace, but I have come to have a sceptical view of some aspects of charities.
I had some interaction with the management team of one and was very much disappointed. Overpaid and underperforming, there were individuals who I would have put under strict performance review and dismissed ASAP.
It annoyed me that there were many volunteers working hard while a bunch of amateurs received generous salaries, took time off when it suited them, repeatedly failed to deliver and were never held to account.
A problem from the top man and trustees downward.

I don't take offense. I have seen for myself It can vary dramatically. I've been in the charity sector since 2004 building websites. The first one I worked for was in the begining very good. We weren't paid much and did the job because we believed in the outcome. We regularly 'punched above our weight' (I hate that phrase but it was actually true). The trouble came as we made more money the charity grew and it had some strange desire to bring in a different type of person. It changed the atmosphere and it became more back stabby. The new people in were often paid a lot more than those of us who had been there for years. The output of the charity decreased as the fear of losing funding increased. Ultimately we became bloated and flabby with those at the top taking a nice salary despite lower output, whilst doing their best to keep those at the bottom from being able to speak up.

Thankfully the charity I work for now is very open and fair. We get paid a more industry standard wage although not high by some people standards. We have a good output and everyone is focussed on what we can achieve rather than back stabbing to get to the top. It reminds me of the early days of the previous charity when it was actually fun to do what we were doing as it was making a difference. Having had a lot of chats with the CEO I don't think this will end up the same (at least I hope not).

Also just to add not all of the recent hires/leavers were my line manager

We do have a high turnover of fundraisers though but I think that is industry standard as its lower paid and quite hard going.