Frustrated with work. Need advice.
loneybaloney
member
I think I'm getting to the point of being ready to change jobs, or maybe careers for that matter. I've worked as the Sales Director for a company for the last 6 years. Prior to that, I was the Sales Manager for the same company for 4 years, so as of now, I just completed 10 years.
It's a fairly small (family owned) company in terms of management team (there is one manager and then just me and one other director, all reporting to the CEO). In April, the CEO added an HR manager, which we had never had before. In many ways, it's been a good thing since now there are no surprises in terms of benefits, etc. However, the HR manager has also changed A LOT of things that relate directly to the management team, and it's sort of starting to rub me the wrong way.
I handle all of our "major" accounts, as well as supervise a team of 26 independent sale reps around North America. I also supervise 7 internal sales employees. Since I handle key accounts myself, I'm responsible for selling to them directly. I do NOT make commmission, but I think my base salary is good/fair. I travel about 2 weeks/month. Our year end bonus is tied to company profit. I run all the reports and know that profits were up almost 25% this year, which meant me, the other director, and the manager, should have all been entitled to bonuses of 25% of our salary. Last week, we were all told that these won't be paid out until June 2013. In all previous years, they were paid by end of January. We were also told that the bonuses would all be lowered by 10%, even though both sales and profits are up for the year. No reasoning, no discussing, just told this is what it is.
This morning, I got an email from the HR manager, also addressed to the one manager and the other director stating they are eliminating compensatory time related to travel. For example, I used to fly out on Sundays so I could start work first thing Monday at whatever location. As a result, I was entitled to take a comp day whenever to account for the fact that I traveled on a Sunday. No more. I'm just feeling kind of irked about things. I tripled sales to our top account over the last 12 months, and also added two new key accounts, which added roughly $4M to our sales. Why is my bonus being cut? And why the need to nickle and dime about comp time? I don't get it. I'm considering using my maternity leave to look for a new job. I think I just need a change.
Re: Frustrated with work. Need advice.
Are the changes related to the bonuses coming from the HR Manager, or were they decided by the CEO and just communicated through the HR Manager. Are you comfortable sitting down with the CEO and having an open discussion about the bonuses? You could even put it in terms of "I know my direct reports are going to be upset about these changes, can we discuss the reasons behind the change, so I can better explain it to my employees?"
As far as comp time goes, I'd just try to be unavailable to travel on Sunday and fly out Monday morning instead. If the company is that worried about cost savings, you'll be saving them a night of hotel.
I'm sure the HR manager is just the messenger (and truly, he's a nice guy - I like him).The bonuses are only paid to me, the manager, and the other director, not to any of our direct reports. I guess I sort of feel like if they're going to tell us AFTER the year is over that yes, we did great in terms of profits/sales, but our bonuses are going to be cut, what's the incentove for next year?? We don't get commissions, and the bonuses are part of our job description/salary package. How can they back them down this way?
If you're at the point where you feel frustrated enough to leave your position, I would sit down with the CEO and voice your concerns. As a PP mentioned, it sounds like there might be something else going on with the company, so maybe it would be good to start looking if there is a bigger underlying problem.
As far as comp time goes, that's not really costing them anything- it's just making your work more efficient. It is always more productive to get to your location on a Sunday night and hit the ground running first thing Monday morning to get a full work week in at the site. If you spend Monday travelling, you've reduced the work week at the site by 20%...if they're not going to give you your time and are short-changing you on the bonus, I wouldn't feel bad at all about wasting a Monday with travel time until I landed a new position.
I'm not at all trying to make this a political post, but maybe the bonus was cut to make up the difference due to the healthcare reform costs?
My company covered any difference in cost from last year so we're all paying exactly the same as last year, but the company had to find the money somewhere so I'm sure some other budget was cut.
Since you're higher up in the chain of command, maybe you're entitled to know that information. Talk to HR about it, in the spirit of "I just have a question, I'm curious why..." rather than "I'm here to complain about..."
You might just be on a 10 year burn out and need something new and stimulating.
As for comp time, most large companies don't "officially" offer it either. My DH travels internationally a lot and his contract doesn't say anything about the weekends he's in another country for work as being taken later as "comp" time. But when he takes a day here or there, it doesn't really matter. The only vacation time he documents is a "real" vacation time/week.
As for the bonus deal, since you're working for a smaller company, are they banking aside money for the possible higher cost of doing business next year? I mean, if you KNOW you're getting a bonus, I wouldn't really sqawk at WHEN you get it. I know that's hard though..
Trust me, I know how you feel. I've been in my industry for 20 years, and a new career sounds great...as long as it comes with my same nice salary...:) and throw in only working from 9 to 3 while we're at it LOLOL
I was thinking the same thing. I don't know if I would complain about the timing of the bonus. Yes it's super annoying that you're getting it a lot later than expected but you're still getting it.
The grass isn't always greener on the other side. I'm a traveling executive for my company (keep in mind I have worked as a traveling executive in two different industries) and I have never heard of comp time for travel. If it's such a big deal for you, just travel on Monday instead of Sunday.
I always give that extra measure of service--so traveling on a Sunday to me is no big deal especially when I really do need to be there first thing Monday morning to get my team started.
Second, I also wouldn't complain about the time when you get your bonus. I've worked for many companies where they kept switching the date/time of the bonus. Since I don't live paycheck by paycheck, it doesn't bother me, so getting it in June instead of January I'm ok with, as long as I get it. I presume you need it and that's why it's bothering you?
I take care of 136+ employees, 4 branches and do all the sales for the West Coast and Latin America and we are a company of 4000 employees--I know a lot of companies and a lot of people and again I have never head of comp time. Also, as a sales executive we are all EXPECTED to grow since this is our job. We get paid to grow the business and be managers/directors. So if I wasn't bringing in new accounts or grow the business by at least 25%, I do expect my bosses to have a talk with me or even fire me for not doing the job I was hired to do.
Obvisouly, I don't know your situation, but it doesn't sound all that bad to me IMO.
This is one of the many reasons I just do not go above and beyond at work.....in the end its never worth it. I had a friend ask me one day if I felt my job was just a job or a career I said just a job and it makes me sad in a way. Corporate America always has a way of just making you feel like a drop in the bucket sometimes.
I would look for a new job if you are unhappy