McMaster is set up as a two-tiered class system. “Managers” are the upper class and “employees” are the lower class. A 20-year veteran can be an employee and a first day, 22-year-old management trainee is management who can pull rank. It is nearly impossible for an employee to become a manager. Though there are certainly some examples of someone breaking through the barrier it takes years and years to even be considered for the “management track.” The process takes so long and is so improbable, a person with ambition seeking advancement is better off leaving the company and climbing a ladder with more than 2 rungs.
Employees are treated like children. The appearance of your desk and the number of personal items (please, do not exceed two) is closely monitored and strictly enforced. Lunch breaks are strictly enforced. You must take them and you must not exceed their time. (Dirty little secret: all “employees” are paid hourly even though they are led to believe they hare salaried.) If you are away from your workstation too often for bathroom breaks you will be penalized in your review in turn your raise. In keeping, each sick day results in a lower raise. Sick days are available but even one missed day finds its way into your paycheck.
The good news here is that they are terrified of firing anyone even with just cause. Once you miss 5 days or so, you are considered a habitual truant – so if you miss 5 or 50 days you get the same penalty.
Raises and reviews are highly standardized and documented but largely arbitrary. Reviews are given at regular intervals but as the managers switch so regularly, they generally don’t know much of what’s going on as they write them. It generally takes a year to fully understand anew position and in that time, a new manager will review every person in their department, all of whom, generally know more about the position than the fledgling manager. As the manager’s manager rotates in and out also – there is no managerial collective memory. Rules and procedures contradict each other constantly. Management positions have a two year rotation in each position so everything goes on a 2-year cycle back and forth. As the new manager is trying to prove himself by “shaking things up” he inevitably reverses decisions by his predecessor regardless of the efficiency of either decision.
As stated above, as long as you are ok taking orders, not thinking too much, and have little ambition this is a great place to work. Independent though is highly discouraged, as is initiative (cant stay late, get in early, and there is little opportunity for advancement)
