This will start off rough, but I really do love the company I work for and I would like to still see it standing in 30 years...and beyond. I would love to retire here. There just need to be some changes made and these things have to be said.
1. Benefits are WAY TOO EXPENSIVE and are awful! For example, I know a woman on welfare who has better benefits than I do. After I pay $900/month for benefits, a $3,000 deductible for awful coverage at only in-network doctors, she makes more of a salary on welfare with better benefits and I work 55+ hrs a week! She doesn't work, so I pay taxes for her welfare, I pay taxes for her subsidized housing, I pay taxes for her food stamps, I pay taxes for her insurance and I find it ironic that I have to stress every day, hoping ONE medical/dental emergency doesn't happen that will destroy me and my family financially. She has none of these worries. Doctors won't let you pay the cash price for visits which is cheaper than our insurance co-pay because we have insurance (it's againt the law in my state). We have to use our insurance. But we can't apply for Obama care because our employer offers these awful benefits. Something is very wrong here and Smarte Carte should fix it by offering a decent benefit plan.
Don't get hurt during our job where we work with heavy machinery all day because you have to pay for STD or LTD or you have none. And no sick time. Only vacation time. You can't take a vacation all year because you have to worry about you or your children getting sick in the fall/winter.
2. Executive Team should have 1-2 meetings a year with field employees from each Region to hear their thoughts and ideas so employees feel heard. Examples like #1, #3 and so on.
3. No yearly appraisals/raises or recognition. What motivates anyone to go the extra mile?
4. No development plan in place so existing employees can be promoted. After all of the good employees reach their top potential at Smarte Carte and they know it, you will loose them. There are some excellent employees within this company and you are looking outside for positions. Ask qualified existing employees if they are willing to move for open positions. For the right opportunity, they just might. But don't close the door before it's even cracked open.
5. While one-day visits from the HO have been appreciated greatly, have the Executive Team, even Directors/Regionals work side-by-side with field employees to fully understand the scope of the work and how it has changed.
6. A Regional Operations Manager (can assist with Business Development as well since they know the area) and a Regional Technician/Trainer (available 24/7, 365) should be placed in every Region. There are too many holes in both departments and these positions would help fix them and make the Regions more efficient.
7. Change pay scales based on geography.
8. More one-on-one time with Regional Managers and Directors. I know they have their plates full, but this is NECESSARY.
9. Allow for an employee monthly survey that would be read by the Executive Team, so Smarte Carte can read first hand how their employees feel. And also see how they feel as any positive changes are made within the company. If I had an outlet like that, this feedback could have gone directly to the Executive Team where it belongs. Not on Glassdoor where I hope that it is heard.
