Morale in QANTAS
With the greatest of respect, its not "respect" that drives morale, its recognition. Unfortunately the current management of Qantas is doing everything it possibly can to "de-recognise" its own workforce!
For those of you that have ever had to deal with corporate strategy, you will know that this is not a good long term strategy, because it is actually the employees who do the company's work, not the Board. If the employees are p*ssed off, you can be sure that the pax will be as well.
The "de-recognition" appears as a series of "meta messages". A meta message is "the message you are sending when you don't think you are sending a message".
There have been a series of very "de-recognising" messages sent by Qantas to its staff recently.
Some of them I am aware of are:
1: Qantas engineering staff have no role whatsoever in determining the success of the airline. The aircraft mostly maintain themselves. Your skills and expereince are as irrelevent as you are. We will simply use the lowest bidder to perform what limited maintenance is required.
2: Pilots are just bus drivers and should be paid and treated accordingly. No skills except passing exams are required.
3: Cabin staff are just waitresses in uniform (the blokes too). No skills are required despite what CASA may try and tell us, we know the truth.
Perhaps some of you can add to the list of "messages" being sent. I understand the guys at Tulla engineering are about to get one soon.
Qantas can get away with offering a substandard product because they have a protected monopoly on capacity. Standards will continue to decline until either Qantas loses this monopoly or it has a series of accidents that demonstrate that its so called standards and reputation are now illusory.
It may be cold comfort, but at least two other Australian major public companies have been led down this same road by similar management styles. Neither of them exist anymore as more than a shell of what they once were.
End of message.
For those of you that have ever had to deal with corporate strategy, you will know that this is not a good long term strategy, because it is actually the employees who do the company's work, not the Board. If the employees are p*ssed off, you can be sure that the pax will be as well.
The "de-recognition" appears as a series of "meta messages". A meta message is "the message you are sending when you don't think you are sending a message".
There have been a series of very "de-recognising" messages sent by Qantas to its staff recently.
Some of them I am aware of are:
1: Qantas engineering staff have no role whatsoever in determining the success of the airline. The aircraft mostly maintain themselves. Your skills and expereince are as irrelevent as you are. We will simply use the lowest bidder to perform what limited maintenance is required.
2: Pilots are just bus drivers and should be paid and treated accordingly. No skills except passing exams are required.
3: Cabin staff are just waitresses in uniform (the blokes too). No skills are required despite what CASA may try and tell us, we know the truth.
Perhaps some of you can add to the list of "messages" being sent. I understand the guys at Tulla engineering are about to get one soon.
Qantas can get away with offering a substandard product because they have a protected monopoly on capacity. Standards will continue to decline until either Qantas loses this monopoly or it has a series of accidents that demonstrate that its so called standards and reputation are now illusory.
It may be cold comfort, but at least two other Australian major public companies have been led down this same road by similar management styles. Neither of them exist anymore as more than a shell of what they once were.
End of message.
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.........one glaring thing here amongst all the PPRune posts...........well not really glaring when you really think about it & that is two single topics/aspects that attract the most feedback/attention here amongst all the 'stories' contained within & that is all about wages & Morale, the two things that make us get out of bed in the first place!!.......both so low where lucky that we have an aviation industry that's sustainable for the future & that's debatable!, watch this space Dixon & the likes the rumblings as well as the lack of job security will perhaps one day have a devistating effect on Co's such as the Red Rat (the big Co's CEO's can stay in transport industry by driving a truck !).............as soon as the general public feel that this is what's happening (we as pilots already know the rot is setting in ) they (the genral share holders) will jump ship like the Titanic & watch the Red Rat for Eg. go down to depths where Morale currently stands.......God 'elp us all & i'm not God fearin' man !
Capt Wally :-)
p.s........the only "recognition" (that someone else here has pointed out) that will be known to us will be that light switch that has the same name over it & I'm sure the boffins would just love to cull that as well due to light bulb costs !.............what did I hear once by someone so called famous?............."see & be seen"...............yeah that'll be the day !:-(
Capt Wally :-)
p.s........the only "recognition" (that someone else here has pointed out) that will be known to us will be that light switch that has the same name over it & I'm sure the boffins would just love to cull that as well due to light bulb costs !.............what did I hear once by someone so called famous?............."see & be seen"...............yeah that'll be the day !:-(
Recognition eh?
I can relate a (slightly de-identified) story about recognition in Qantas. One of our captains, not too long ago, was mentioned for a 'good show' for his actions during a major delay. An inbound jet diverted due cyclonic weather, crews (inbound & outbound) ran out of duty, passengers un-impressed, flight delayed >8 hours but the captain & crew remained in the terminal for hours answering questions, providing solutions, explaining the complications and assisiting frazzled ground-staff; basically saved the day (not to mention immeasurable customer goodwill) for the company reputation going by a letter from a very impressed business frequent flyer.
His recognition? Wait for it....
During a subsequent meeting with a pilot manager, much ado was made about calling an office 'upstairs', getting a cost code and writing the details down. What do you think his actions might have saved the company?
Not that he expected anything actually, but his recognition? "Well done. Go and get yourself a free coffee from the cafeteria." We all laughed!
His recognition? Wait for it....
During a subsequent meeting with a pilot manager, much ado was made about calling an office 'upstairs', getting a cost code and writing the details down. What do you think his actions might have saved the company?
Not that he expected anything actually, but his recognition? "Well done. Go and get yourself a free coffee from the cafeteria." We all laughed!
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I can verify the veracity of that story. They even made posters about it to put at various crew areas as an example of how to manage such a delay.. they left out the bit about the coffee though...
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she said "I don't see the need for morale therefore I don't see a problem"
An acquaintance of mine is a Stipendiary Magistrate and has a term for such people.
He calls them 'educated f***wits!'
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Gents,
I am over the whole Qantas low morale thing. If your morale is low and you don’t like were your company is taking you, you have a very powerful option. LEAVE. There are plenty of jobs for LAME, AME and pilots all over the country and indeed globally.
Stop bleating.
I am over the whole Qantas low morale thing. If your morale is low and you don’t like were your company is taking you, you have a very powerful option. LEAVE. There are plenty of jobs for LAME, AME and pilots all over the country and indeed globally.
Stop bleating.
Edit: That statement rather irked me. Had to tone down the response a bit. If only it were so ridiculously and plainly simple as just "leaving". Nevertheless, despite the difficulties in doing this, there are indeed some QF pilots resigning as previously mentioned. I have spoken to a couple of them.
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Gents,
I am over the whole Qantas low morale thing. If your morale is low and you don’t like were your company is taking you, you have a very powerful option. LEAVE. There are plenty of jobs for LAME, AME and pilots all over the country and indeed globally.
Stop bleating.
I am over the whole Qantas low morale thing. If your morale is low and you don’t like were your company is taking you, you have a very powerful option. LEAVE. There are plenty of jobs for LAME, AME and pilots all over the country and indeed globally.
Stop bleating.
Perhaps you should use your own logic, if you're 'over' the morale thing, LEAVE THE THREAD... title makes it pretty clear, should be of no interest to you.
I heard a few 767 F/Os were/have gone to Emirates? Can anyone confirm?
1 x 767 F/O to Emirates, 777 F/O
1 x 767 F/O to CX, A330 F/O, Syd base. He's resigning this week.
Stay tuned for more.
1 x 767 F/O to CX, A330 F/O, Syd base. He's resigning this week.
Stay tuned for more.
The modern disease that has caused this type of mess in a lot of companies world wide is Narcissism.
No, it's not what you think, it's a condition where people are unable to empathise with anyone - they only see things from their own point of view. They are literally incapable of seeing anything from anothers point of view. They also have massive low self esteem issues and are therefore highly motivated to perform to win the approval of others.
Not all narcissists are actors and actresses, deeply insecure and running from marriage to marriage and drug to drug.
Some highly intelligent Narcissists work their arses off and get into senior management positions - and then do terrible things to the people who work for them because they simply don't care. They will lie cheat and steal to get what they want, trampling anyone and everyone in the process. I've been through this and it is most unpleasant.
The next time you read about a charismatic CEO or Managing Director who has cut their workforce and outsourced their business to bits, going though two or three marriages along the way, just remember you are probably looking at a Narcissist.
By the way this is a classic narcissistic quote:
The person who said this (assuming its true) is telling the truth as she sees it. She simply doesn't know what morale is because she is incapable of empathising with anyone else. You can't retrain these people either - they are "broken", there is nothing more pathetic than a senior manager handing round mars bars at a meeting because they have just been to "sensitivity" training where they were told to do this for "morale" purposes.
The delay in telling the people at Tulla of their fate is a classic narcissistic ploy to underline their total contempt for their staff and bolster their own sense of grandiosity. I would expect that Qantas would have nothing but narcissists in positions of power these days because no normal human being would stand for the game playing that is going on with their staff.
P.S. These people also have a massive sense of entitlement and believe laws are for little people. The managers of HIH and a certain Melbourne entertainment personality and former company director come to mind in this context.
No, it's not what you think, it's a condition where people are unable to empathise with anyone - they only see things from their own point of view. They are literally incapable of seeing anything from anothers point of view. They also have massive low self esteem issues and are therefore highly motivated to perform to win the approval of others.
Not all narcissists are actors and actresses, deeply insecure and running from marriage to marriage and drug to drug.
Some highly intelligent Narcissists work their arses off and get into senior management positions - and then do terrible things to the people who work for them because they simply don't care. They will lie cheat and steal to get what they want, trampling anyone and everyone in the process. I've been through this and it is most unpleasant.
The next time you read about a charismatic CEO or Managing Director who has cut their workforce and outsourced their business to bits, going though two or three marriages along the way, just remember you are probably looking at a Narcissist.
By the way this is a classic narcissistic quote:
she said "I don't see the need for morale therefore I don't see a problem"
The delay in telling the people at Tulla of their fate is a classic narcissistic ploy to underline their total contempt for their staff and bolster their own sense of grandiosity. I would expect that Qantas would have nothing but narcissists in positions of power these days because no normal human being would stand for the game playing that is going on with their staff.
P.S. These people also have a massive sense of entitlement and believe laws are for little people. The managers of HIH and a certain Melbourne entertainment personality and former company director come to mind in this context.
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This is unfortunately a very common trend among big business executives during boom times. Look at the 80s for example. And look at just a few years ago in the US. The only consolation is that quite a few high flyers of the period end up sharing a jail cell with Bubba, broke, or die in virtual exile for their excesses and contempt/manipulation of the law, so maybe we will see a similar cycle soon!
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Just in case some of you haven't seen this letter from a retired pilot to the CEO of UA.
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Letter to Tilton,
4-Oct-2005
Mr. Tilton -
For the longest time I've been wondering, "How can Glenn Tilton look at himself in the mirror every morning?" as I view the cruel, heartless actions you've taken against retirees and employees. We met last December when I welcomed you aboard the B-777 I was flying from Denver to Chicago. On one level I had been hoping you would turn out to be a real bastard - that would explain everything - but you are obviously a very intelligent, charismatic, and outwardly pleasant person.
Recently all my questions were answered. You see, I came upon the book The Sociopath Next Door, by Dr. Martha Stout, and everything snapped into sharp focus. A sociopath is someone who has no conscience, who is incapable of feeling empathy or sorrow. It's not a truly evil trait, it's simply a genetic disorder, like being color-blind. An alarming number of people (1 in 25) are sociopaths. You are one of them. You, sir, are a sociopath. The reason you can do unconscionable things is you have no conscience. And when I realized that, I stopped being angry at you.
Now I see it wasn't personal, just business, when you destroyed the pensions of the retirees; pensions that had been bought and paid for, while still accepting your own bonuses and outrageous salary. I see how you could not even comprehend my suggestion, sent to you in two separate e-mails (which you refused to acknowledge or answer) that you forego your salary and work for $1 per year. It sure would have galvanized the entire employee group into pulling on the same end of the rope. And by the way, it wouldn't have been such a bad idea from a financial perspective. After working for free, your 2007 memoir Rising: the True Story of How Glenn Tilton Rescued United would have netted you a hefty seven-figure advance that would have eclipsed your current United salary. Too bad for you, Glenn. By now the whole world has already seen what you're really made of.
You had your chance to really be a historic leader, and instead you will simply be a footnote in the case studies that will examine United Airlines, such as the one I am researching for the Doctor of Business Administration degree I am currently pursuing. The working title is Rolling in their Graves: How the Legacy Of Pat Patterson and Eddie Carlson Was Destroyed by Greed and Incompetence at United Airlines.
While you appear to be an adequate manager, you're a failure as a leader, because you are unable to inspire people to want to follow you. United Airlines was once truly great, where the company really cared about the employees. Now, it's simply a place where the employees come to work. They know they're not valued; they're considered a liability.
During the 27 years I worked at United, I've had some difficult times: I went unpaid during a strike, was furloughed, took more than a 25 percent pay cut for the ill-fated ESOP, watched my pay decrease by more than 50 percent during my last three years, and grieved the loss of friends and coworkers. Through all of those difficult times United was a family. We supported each other during the tough times. We pulled together. With you as the father figure, United is now truly a dysfunctional family.
But at least you've kept your salary, your bonuses and your retirement. United has picked up the tab for your penthouse apartment, a total amount that would equal the entire mortgage on the home of the average retiree. Yes, I know it was promised to you in your contract. But wait: my pension was promised to me in my contract.
The sad thing - I'm sorry, I just used a term you can't comprehend - is that you lack the trait that makes us humans, well, human. No longer angry, I truly feel sorry for you. I still wish this letter would hurt your feelings, but I know that's not possible.
With all DUE respect,
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Letter to Tilton,
4-Oct-2005
Mr. Tilton -
For the longest time I've been wondering, "How can Glenn Tilton look at himself in the mirror every morning?" as I view the cruel, heartless actions you've taken against retirees and employees. We met last December when I welcomed you aboard the B-777 I was flying from Denver to Chicago. On one level I had been hoping you would turn out to be a real bastard - that would explain everything - but you are obviously a very intelligent, charismatic, and outwardly pleasant person.
Recently all my questions were answered. You see, I came upon the book The Sociopath Next Door, by Dr. Martha Stout, and everything snapped into sharp focus. A sociopath is someone who has no conscience, who is incapable of feeling empathy or sorrow. It's not a truly evil trait, it's simply a genetic disorder, like being color-blind. An alarming number of people (1 in 25) are sociopaths. You are one of them. You, sir, are a sociopath. The reason you can do unconscionable things is you have no conscience. And when I realized that, I stopped being angry at you.
Now I see it wasn't personal, just business, when you destroyed the pensions of the retirees; pensions that had been bought and paid for, while still accepting your own bonuses and outrageous salary. I see how you could not even comprehend my suggestion, sent to you in two separate e-mails (which you refused to acknowledge or answer) that you forego your salary and work for $1 per year. It sure would have galvanized the entire employee group into pulling on the same end of the rope. And by the way, it wouldn't have been such a bad idea from a financial perspective. After working for free, your 2007 memoir Rising: the True Story of How Glenn Tilton Rescued United would have netted you a hefty seven-figure advance that would have eclipsed your current United salary. Too bad for you, Glenn. By now the whole world has already seen what you're really made of.
You had your chance to really be a historic leader, and instead you will simply be a footnote in the case studies that will examine United Airlines, such as the one I am researching for the Doctor of Business Administration degree I am currently pursuing. The working title is Rolling in their Graves: How the Legacy Of Pat Patterson and Eddie Carlson Was Destroyed by Greed and Incompetence at United Airlines.
While you appear to be an adequate manager, you're a failure as a leader, because you are unable to inspire people to want to follow you. United Airlines was once truly great, where the company really cared about the employees. Now, it's simply a place where the employees come to work. They know they're not valued; they're considered a liability.
During the 27 years I worked at United, I've had some difficult times: I went unpaid during a strike, was furloughed, took more than a 25 percent pay cut for the ill-fated ESOP, watched my pay decrease by more than 50 percent during my last three years, and grieved the loss of friends and coworkers. Through all of those difficult times United was a family. We supported each other during the tough times. We pulled together. With you as the father figure, United is now truly a dysfunctional family.
But at least you've kept your salary, your bonuses and your retirement. United has picked up the tab for your penthouse apartment, a total amount that would equal the entire mortgage on the home of the average retiree. Yes, I know it was promised to you in your contract. But wait: my pension was promised to me in my contract.
The sad thing - I'm sorry, I just used a term you can't comprehend - is that you lack the trait that makes us humans, well, human. No longer angry, I truly feel sorry for you. I still wish this letter would hurt your feelings, but I know that's not possible.
With all DUE respect,
Heard through the grapevine that the CP doesn't believe there is a morale problem amongst Tech Crew, we're just setting our ambitions too high.... 
How do you work with a management attitude like that???
How do you work with a management attitude like that???
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"Obtaining your command (Captaincy) is the ultimate goal fo all Qantas pilots."
Perhaps to
"Obtaining your Jetstar command (Captaincy) is the ultimate goal for all Qantas pilots"
"Obtaining your Jetstar command (Captaincy) is the ultimate goal for all Qantas pilots"
Last edited by Bug Smasher Smasher; 21st Nov 2006 at 01:54. Reason: Splellingg
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Guys, GriffinBlack = an Aust Army Aviator. Whilst there are some terrific people in that organisation, I'm sorry to say that it also has more than it's fair share of f****wits. And Mr Black is definitely one of the latter. He really has no clue but is quick to proffer an opinion.
Well said coitus. Nice to hear from a VB pilot and is frequently reflected by my colleagues in QF. Just one question though. Why is it that such a remark NEVER comes from a Jetstar pilot?
Until we ALL get together and as a united team, undermine the quintessential incompetence of these sub-human incongruents, the better.
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I'm generally a bit cynical regarding what I "hear" on the grapevine, but that is something I could truly believe. I recently spoke in depth over a couple of beers with a certain colleague who was fresh out of a long chat with the CP over his intention to resign. His opinion was that the CP absolutely didn't give a rat's (no pun intended). Those who know a bit of recent QF history and the ego/personality/management relationships involved would not be even mildly surprised at this. Talk about people who live in a "bubble"!
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Sandy,
May I call you Sandy as you have referred to me rather formally as MR Black? I am glad you are familiar with your fair share of army aviators. I guess you have me down pat and have seen through my thinly disguised charm. No, I am not quick to prefer an opinion. My opinion has been formed over several months reading the numerous threads with the same undertones. I was going to say diatribe, but I would hate for you to continue to think of me as a f***wit.
May I call you Sandy as you have referred to me rather formally as MR Black? I am glad you are familiar with your fair share of army aviators. I guess you have me down pat and have seen through my thinly disguised charm. No, I am not quick to prefer an opinion. My opinion has been formed over several months reading the numerous threads with the same undertones. I was going to say diatribe, but I would hate for you to continue to think of me as a f***wit.
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LT/CAPT/MAJ Black (I assume you'd be over Pprune if you were >= LTCOL),
You are correct in your assumptions regarding morale in Qantas and the airline industry in general based on what you have read here on Pprune. Of course, you most likely have a few friends who are in the airlines, and they have their own opinions. If you are still serving in the ARA however, these sources of information are severely limited. Recognise Pprune as a collection of very vocal people, many of whom are whingers (I have been known to at times
)
I think it a little rich to offer advice to people along the lines of "get out there amongst the international scene and earn your real worth" when you are still protected by some of the worlds most "comfortable" conditions of service. Don't get me wrong - I once enjoyed them also and reckon they are a great thing, but I never felt I was in a position to be offering advice to blokes about moving overseas when in most cases that would involve closing the door firmly behind them...
VI
You are correct in your assumptions regarding morale in Qantas and the airline industry in general based on what you have read here on Pprune. Of course, you most likely have a few friends who are in the airlines, and they have their own opinions. If you are still serving in the ARA however, these sources of information are severely limited. Recognise Pprune as a collection of very vocal people, many of whom are whingers (I have been known to at times
)I think it a little rich to offer advice to people along the lines of "get out there amongst the international scene and earn your real worth" when you are still protected by some of the worlds most "comfortable" conditions of service. Don't get me wrong - I once enjoyed them also and reckon they are a great thing, but I never felt I was in a position to be offering advice to blokes about moving overseas when in most cases that would involve closing the door firmly behind them...
VI