Sunday, May 29, 2011

Commentary On 2011 WSM Employee Survey Results

I am publishing my commentary with a degree of reluctance.

However, I am concerned that the process of allowing WSM workers meaningful input to the formulation of action plans consequent upon our Survey is too restrictive. I am disturbed that the WSM corporate office are permitting themselves greater opportunity for input than ordinary shopfloor workers. I have communicated these concerns to the WSM corporate office, and am not impressed with the response.

I promised the WSM corporate office I would not publish the results of the Survey. I am keeping to that promise. These are my comments, not the results. But why am I having to rationalize equality, openness and transparency in a co-op?

The thrust of my commentary (not very radically, and hardly surprisingly) is that the Survey results demonstrate that too many WSM employees do not feel that their work experience is fulfilling or that their co-op is inclusive. Both are specific requirements of the WSM Mission Statement. In order for WSM not to be in breach of co-op policy, these concerns need to be addressed in action plans that we now formulate consensually.