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SME Culture

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    SME Culture

    Hi, I am working in a small-med offshore financial co. so 100s of staff, but Co. income in upper mid range 100s Millions GBP.
    After 25years at Insurance Giants - 100,000+ staff - I am struggling to deal with the laid back, muddle through attitude here.
    Example - daily batch run is manually scheduled on a Rota basis by 9-5 staff not evening shift. If the rota person is ill we depend on someone else noticing that the normal emails requesting patches and announcing the imminent online shutdown have not gone out.
    This is a far cry from automated ops and auto texts by exception to people on standby that I am used to.
    When I query the procedures I'm met by a mixture of incomprehension and acceptance of 'the way things are here'. This is compounded by the fact that I have only been here 8months and my immediate colleagues have been here at least 2 years.

    So question is - anyone else found themselves the only person agitating for change to more formal procedures when everyone else is seemingly content to muddle through?
    Is it futile to try to change things if you are the only one who seems to value rigour and precision and are trying to take everyone else out of their comfort zone?
    In case you are wondering, yes about 1-2 times a year the ball is dropped in a major way and some poor saps have to work 36 hours straight to put things right.

    #2
    Originally posted by xux42 View Post
    Hi, I am working in a small-med offshore financial co. so 100s of staff, but Co. income in upper mid range 100s Millions GBP.
    After 25years at Insurance Giants - 100,000+ staff - I am struggling to deal with the laid back, muddle through attitude here.
    Example - daily batch run is manually scheduled on a Rota basis by 9-5 staff not evening shift. If the rota person is ill we depend on someone else noticing that the normal emails requesting patches and announcing the imminent online shutdown have not gone out.
    This is a far cry from automated ops and auto texts by exception to people on standby that I am used to.
    When I query the procedures I'm met by a mixture of incomprehension and acceptance of 'the way things are here'. This is compounded by the fact that I have only been here 8months and my immediate colleagues have been here at least 2 years.

    So question is - anyone else found themselves the only person agitating for change to more formal procedures when everyone else is seemingly content to muddle through?
    Is it futile to try to change things if you are the only one who seems to value rigour and precision and are trying to take everyone else out of their comfort zone?
    In case you are wondering, yes about 1-2 times a year the ball is dropped in a major way and some poor saps have to work 36 hours straight to put things right.
    Are they making money? Because if they are then you won't get change.
    And what exactly is wrong with an "ad hominem" argument? Dodgy Agent, 16-5-2014

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by Mich the Tester View Post
      Are they making money? Because if they are then you won't get change.
      Huge income, commissions and bonuses. But profit? Hmm.. Not sure... maybe in the short term it can be made to look profitable.
      Some more cautious staff are questioning the long term profitability based on downstream liabilities. But the salesmen and managers pulling down bonuses right now don't seem to be listening to them.

      Comment


        #4
        Same.

        At a company that's just exploded. Took six years to get to 200 staff. Last 18 months to get to 1000!

        Everything is bursting at the seams. New people bought in to deal with the tulip and get it ready to handle the growth. The old hands just work longer or longer hours on crap processes while others are so laid back they cannot see what's wrong or why they need to pull their finger out.

        Process has to go in. Documentation has to be put in place. Fact of life as a company grows.
        What happens in General, stays in General.
        You know what they say about assumptions!

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by MarillionFan View Post
          Same.

          At a company that's just exploded. Took six years to get to 200 staff. Last 18 months to get to 1000!

          Everything is bursting at the seams. New people bought in to deal with the tulip and get it ready to handle the growth. The old hands just work longer or longer hours on crap processes while others are so laid back they cannot see what's wrong or why they need to pull their finger out.

          Process has to go in. Documentation has to be put in place. Fact of life as a company grows.
          Or the company should split into several independent businesses that are more manageable, perhaps splitting by product line.
          And what exactly is wrong with an "ad hominem" argument? Dodgy Agent, 16-5-2014

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by xux42 View Post
            Huge income, commissions and bonuses. But profit? Hmm.. Not sure... maybe in the short term it can be made to look profitable.
            Some more cautious staff are questioning the long term profitability based on downstream liabilities. But the salesmen and managers pulling down bonuses right now don't seem to be listening to them.
            And why would they? they are targetted to delviery x and if they do that they will recieve y bonus - they will be able to see the downstream liabilities but...

            it requires strong leadership from the top down and unfortunately there will need to be more beurocracy and documentation in place as soon when the profits start dropping scape goats will be sought and those that cannot prove they are running a profitable controlled team/process will be first through the door.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Mich the Tester View Post
              Or the company should split into several independent businesses that are more manageable, perhaps splitting by product line.
              They've only got one product(!!!)

              I do love hyper growth companies. It's like flying without a parachute and only enough fuel to get you half way to the airport. Going to have to glide the rest of the way.
              What happens in General, stays in General.
              You know what they say about assumptions!

              Comment


                #8
                I don't think it's more formal procedures you need, but some basic agreements on responsibilities and a leader who'll visibly encourage them and speak to people privately when they don't stick to the agreements. What would you be formalising in this situation? Processes that can change even quicker than you can document them? Given the situation i think that would be a loser; you need people to have discipline and to make clear to each other what they require. I.e, if nobody's checked that the batches run then the whole team should notice that, name someone to take that responsibility and ask him for the status regularly.
                And what exactly is wrong with an "ad hominem" argument? Dodgy Agent, 16-5-2014

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by MarillionFan View Post
                  They've only got one product(!!!)
                  Ah, dump that idea then.
                  And what exactly is wrong with an "ad hominem" argument? Dodgy Agent, 16-5-2014

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by xux42 View Post
                    Hi, I am working in a small-med offshore financial co. so 100s of staff, but Co. income in upper mid range 100s Millions GBP.
                    After 25years at Insurance Giants - 100,000+ staff - I am struggling to deal with the laid back, muddle through attitude here.
                    Example - daily batch run is manually scheduled on a Rota basis by 9-5 staff not evening shift. If the rota person is ill we depend on someone else noticing that the normal emails requesting patches and announcing the imminent online shutdown have not gone out.
                    This is a far cry from automated ops and auto texts by exception to people on standby that I am used to.
                    When I query the procedures I'm met by a mixture of incomprehension and acceptance of 'the way things are here'. This is compounded by the fact that I have only been here 8months and my immediate colleagues have been here at least 2 years.

                    So question is - anyone else found themselves the only person agitating for change to more formal procedures when everyone else is seemingly content to muddle through?
                    Is it futile to try to change things if you are the only one who seems to value rigour and precision and are trying to take everyone else out of their comfort zone?
                    In case you are wondering, yes about 1-2 times a year the ball is dropped in a major way and some poor saps have to work 36 hours straight to put things right.
                    Surely an opportunity for you to step up and point out a better way of doing stuff, start off with producing a document and get it put before management somehow - in this scenario I would produce an analysis of the failure document & list lessons learned together with a recommendation in the Executive summary - that shouldn't threaten the long timers - take the time to demonstrate your "added value" ensuring longevity of contract and maybe enhancing your c.v. with a job well done sticker....all good stuff and interesting as well ..if you don't it then the consultancies will be arriving shortly and flood the place with dipsticks - then it can get really messy
                    How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don't think

                    Comment

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