-Lack of transparency has led to an uncertain feeling in the field. Personnel moves are announced without the understanding of what has caused the movement. This leads to the field to speculate on what is happening. With BAT changes coming between now and Vegas, transparency is needed.
-Pay is not adequate for the work being done by TMs. As our portfolio grows, one would assume profits would also grow to reward the people in the field. The company is also hemorrhaging money on different initiatives, POS/materials, and recalls. This only creates additional work that is not compensated for. When it comes to pay, the company is in a negative feedback loop that it can't get itself out of.
-I have dealt with numerous TM vacancies, both on my team, along with my team assisting other divisions to cover. It seems as if we have stopped hiring additional personnel, which turns vacancy coverage into the new norm putting additional pressure and workload on TMs. I've had candid conversations with some of my top performing TMs and they are burnt out. This worries me on how long they will stick around as I can only say "use informed decisions" so many times...
-Territory Managers can be treated as juveniles. In some ways they are put on a pedestal (rightfully so) as they are the front lines of our company, yet the environment they work in consists of constant coaching with little to no positivity. Lack of metrics and true 'goals' give TMs a feeling of being lost no knowing if what they are doing is right. In some divisions within the region, TMs are given curfews or restricted on where they can go for nightly entertainment during meetings. TMs are adults with college degrees, and in some cases twice the age as their managers. They need to be treated like it.
