How would you react? | Vital Football

How would you react?

  • Thread starter Villan Of The North
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Villan Of The North

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Put yourself in the following position:

You start a new job where the wages are productivity related. You have known this since the interview.

After less than 3 weeks in the job you question how realistic the productivity targets are, you boss reassures you that the targets are perfectly achievable but says that you have to be realistic as you have only just started the job and can't expect to meet targets yet but he will arrange extra training for you, if you want, to help you get up to speed.

You now have 4 realistic ways to react. Do you:-

a) Accept the offer of help and accept that you still have things to learn about the job so that you can increase your productivity and thus reach targets?

b) Refuse the help, accepting that you need more time to increase your productivity by your own efforts, accepting that it may take time?

c) Not bother to put the effort in to reach productivity targets and as such accept a lower rate of pay?

d) Argue with your employer saying that the targets are impossible to achieve, ignoring the fact that the company has over 40 years industry experience and the fact that the employer can point to people who actually exceed these productivity targets. The result being you must either accept the targets as they are or leave the job?



Answers on a postcard, the correct answers will not be entered into a draw and no winner will be chosen to win any sort of prize.

 
If other people are achieving those targets then they are obviously achievable. I'd take the extra training, assuming that reaching the targets and succeeding in the job is something you really want.

I worked for a telemarketing company in London 12 or 13 years ago. I was doing market research but the campaign next door was selling London Electricity. Their target was 3 sales a day and only one guy could ever achieve this. He was a sales machine. There was nothing you could say to put him off and he would say absolutely anything to make a sale.

I'm sure that not all sales jobs are like that (I'm assuming you are working in sales) but it does take a particular kind of character to excel in that kind of environment.
 
Some people just don't cut it but have a hard time admitting failure. Take the training and try and make it work. If it doesn't work then pack your bags. If everything was clearly stated in the beginning they have very little recourse.
 
I'm suprised A is an option. If it was my company and some jumped up little shite suggested that to me he'd only have the other three options, and almost certainly be on a fast track to having none of the options at all!

But for the sake of this particular scenario Ian, I will go for A.
 
James06 - 27/3/2013 13:16

I'm suprised A is an option. If it was my company and some jumped up little shite suggested that to me he'd only have the other three options, and almost certainly be on a fast track to having none of the options at all!

But for the sake of this particular scenario Ian, I will go for A.

We need Fear to copy FaceBook and add a like button. lol
 
BodyButter - 27/3/2013 12:54

If other people are achieving those targets then they are obviously achievable. I'd take the extra training, assuming that reaching the targets and succeeding in the job is something you really want.

I worked for a telemarketing company in London 12 or 13 years ago. I was doing market research but the campaign next door was selling London Electricity. Their target was 3 sales a day and only one guy could ever achieve this. He was a sales machine. There was nothing you could say to put him off and he would say absolutely anything to make a sale.

I'm sure that not all sales jobs are like that (I'm assuming you are working in sales) but it does take a particular kind of character to excel in that kind of environment.

Not sales no, I work in distribution, the job is a courier delivery job with the same drop points each day. It's a fixed wage so this means that the faster you work the better the rate of pay. I know at least 4 people who manage this particular delivery route quicker than target time with no need to break speed limits.

Personally I can't do it in the target time but that's because I've not worked in the field for nearly 8 years, I'm administration and as such don't have the system and routines as habits. After doing he job for a couple of weeks I would be up to speed though, just like I was 8 years ago.

You do make an important point though, not everyone is suited to every job but how do you know that before completing all training on offer?
 
Villan Of The North - 27/3/2013 21:59

BodyButter - 27/3/2013 12:54

If other people are achieving those targets then they are obviously achievable. I'd take the extra training, assuming that reaching the targets and succeeding in the job is something you really want.

I worked for a telemarketing company in London 12 or 13 years ago. I was doing market research but the campaign next door was selling London Electricity. Their target was 3 sales a day and only one guy could ever achieve this. He was a sales machine. There was nothing you could say to put him off and he would say absolutely anything to make a sale.

I'm sure that not all sales jobs are like that (I'm assuming you are working in sales) but it does take a particular kind of character to excel in that kind of environment.

Not sales no, I work in distribution, the job is a courier delivery job with the same drop points each day. It's a fixed wage so this means that the faster you work the better the rate of pay. I know at least 4 people who manage this particular delivery route quicker than target time with no need to break speed limits.

Personally I can't do it in the target time but that's because I've not worked in the field for nearly 8 years, I'm administration and as such don't have the system and routines as habits. After doing he job for a couple of weeks I would be up to speed though, just like I was 8 years ago.

You do make an important point though, not everyone is suited to every job but how do you know that before completing all training on offer?

I'm assuming one of your staff can't drive the route in the target time.

I had a somewhat similar situation in my work. One of my new teachers came back with awful results in his students' progress tests. He had the whole list of excuses but he had been moaning constantly about the job since he started.

I told him that if he couldn't achieve the targets in the next progress tests, I'd expect his resignation.

His attitude has improved dramatically since and his results were better than average in the last set of tests.

Of course, there are no simple answers in management and what worked with him might not work with someone else but if the guy doesn't have enough professional pride to do his job to the best of his ability, it's best to move him on.
 
He insisted that no amount of training would make the target possible; obviously his 2 weeks ans 3 days experience has enabled him to make this judgement call far more accurately than me, who has been in this current job for 2 years and worked in the industry much longer and am backed up by the wealth of knowledge gleaned by the company over the last 42 years. So he no longer works for the company. I was just dumbfounded by his attitude.
 
I'd find out where my boss lived and smeer dog shit up his windows, for failing to notice the obvious 'come on' that I was putting his way.
 
DeanoVilla - 27/3/2013 14:23

I'd find out where my boss lived and smeer dog shit up his windows, for failing to notice the obvious 'come on' that I was putting his way.

But that's because you're a raving cardigan wearer, not everyone is that way inclined :34:

 
Villan Of The North - 27/3/2013 22:18

He insisted that no amount of training would make the target possible; obviously his 2 weeks ans 3 days experience has enabled him to make this judgement call far more accurately than me, who has been in this current job for 2 years and worked in the industry much longer and am backed up by the wealth of knowledge gleaned by the company over the last 42 years. So he no longer works for the company. I was just dumbfounded by his attitude.

In my younger days I worked for an insurance company for around 6 weeks and 2 of those weeks were my notice.

I'm not sure what I was thinking when I took the job but I hated every minute of it. No honeymoon period, an office full of corporate rats, I hated it.

They pulled me up on my shoddy attitude after a month and I told them I'd made a mistake and asked how long it would take to replace me.
 
I did something similar in a marketing company, but at no point did I pretend that it was the employers fault for setting unachievable targets, in fact I made darn well sure ghat I achieved them before I left. I was just not happy in the job but I wanted to prove to myself that it was not because I couldn't do it....I proved that I could.
 
Not read it yet, my first reaction when I saw the title of the thread, for some reason, was

'I'd be fooking livid'

I shall no go back and see if that was an appropriate response!!!

(I don't get out much!)
 
Ok, read it now.

I'd be fooking livid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :3:

Nah, I'd say I'll take the training and woe betide if my time is wasted.

Think the point is, some are more suited to some jobs than others and if you have spoken to others who do achieve it without breaking speed limits, then I'm surprised they can't just give you the tips needed without having to have training OR just go out with them on one trip to see a) if they are doing it right as they claim b) how if you are satisfied they are.

We are never too old to learn I guess!