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Inequality Re. Pensions & Benefits in SMEs
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15-03-2016 12:44am#1ok, I seen a general thread asking people did they have pensions or not over on after hours.
Not sure if it belongs here, but I'm just curious if people working in family run SMEs have had the same experience as me.
From the day I started I was informed there was no company pension, but while this was true in that no 'official' company pension exists, certain employees are provided with pensions (private arrangement) by the company with annual lump sums paid into it by the employer.
Notably all the family members are also in a pension scheme paid for by company, along with relatives via marriage, some only fairly recent additions, while the 'unconnected' employees some of which have been in company many years were never offered any such benefits of this sort.
Ditto as regards company cars, even being provided to non-director family members doing general office work.
Ditto as regards health insurance. Even relatively small stuff such as company mobile phones were never provided to anyone outside the circle.
Now, this may seem like a mainly whinge thread, but the reason I put this up is out of mere curiousity, have any of you experienced e a similar internal company culture in family-owned & run SMEs or is this more the exception than the rule and I'm a mug for working there??
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I've come across that a few times, and just moved on tbh.
Indeed, the job is dead end (should have moved on a few years ago), I'd swear they want to demotivate me enough to leave anyway so they have a spot in accounts dept. for another brother in law or cousin anyway
I shouldn't be surprised though I guess - the directors have worked in the place since their teens (part time during school holidays even), they have no experience whatsoever of working anywhere else or for anyone else (apart from Daddy). So I guess that could limit the broadness of someone's mind from a business pov.0 -
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ZeroThreat wrote: »Indeed, the job is dead end (should have moved on a few years ago), I'd swear they want to demotivate me enough to leave anyway so they have a spot in accounts dept. for another brother in law or cousin anyway
I shouldn't be surprised though I guess - the directors have worked in the place since their teens (part time during school holidays even), they have no experience whatsoever of working anywhere else or for anyone else (apart from Daddy). So I guess that could limit the broadness of someone's mind from a business pov.
In my experience that sort of setup does limit the managers/owners ability to think differently.
One place I worked in, the directors all sloped off about 3 on a Wednesday to go on the piss, all inter related to each other.
No question of the rest of us doing so
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In my experience that sort of setup does limit the managers/owners ability to think differently.
One place I worked in, the directors all sloped off about 3 on a Wednesday to go on the piss, all inter related to each other.
No question of the rest of us doing so
They're not quite that bad, but some of they do take planned days off, yet you'd only find out when they don't turn up in the morning.
They also love delaying payments to other small businesses either founded by ex-employees or containing ex-employees as managers. I think they have a general bad attitude (perhaps a grudge) against anyone who has left and done well for themselves.
I usually hear a colourful phrase like "Those ****ing c**ts can wait 120 days at least."
Then of course credit is suspended after a while of that malarky (I'm not surprised) and we have to pay on an upfront basis, so out of spite they source goods somewhere else, even if slightly more expensive.
A lunatic asylum in many ways....0 -
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Seriously, the familyZeroThreat wrote: »ok, I seen a general thread asking people did they have pensions or not over on after hours.
Not sure if it belongs here, but I'm just curious if people working in family run SMEs have had the same experience as me.
From the day I started I was informed there was no company pension, but while this was true in that no 'official' company pension exists, certain employees are provided with pensions (private arrangement) by the company with annual lump sums paid into it by the employer.
Notably all the family members are also in a pension scheme paid for by company, along with relatives via marriage, some only fairly recent additions, while the 'unconnected' employees some of which have been in company many years were never offered any such benefits of this sort.
Ditto as regards company cars, even being provided to non-director family members doing general office work.
Ditto as regards health insurance. Even relatively small stuff such as company mobile phones were never provided to anyone outside the circle.
Now, this may seem like a mainly whinge thread, but the reason I put this up is out of mere curiousity, have any of you experienced e a similar internal company culture in family-owned & run SMEs or is this more the exception than the rule and I'm a mug for working there??
Have taken the risk and hassle to start a business. They can pay themselves as they see fit and "fairness" doesn't come into it.
If you want these benifets then go and start a company successful enough to employ a good number of people and by the time you have all that some I'm sure you will look after yourself and family.0 -
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Why would you be a mug?
What has their level of pay/benefits got to do with you if you're nothing working their roles?
I see nothing wrong with a family business seeking to enrich the family.
I presume you meant to say 'not working their roles' ? Well I wouldn't be working their roles, since many of their roles would be junior & the simpler tasks and my skills would be wasted doing what they do. So I would have issue with their overly generous pay/benefits, considering the company are complete skinflints when it comes to the 'hoi polloi'.
I think some here are taking me up wrong. I never said businesses shouldn't be making their owners wealthier.
In the case of where I work my grip was with relatives & inlaws being brought into the company with no qualifications and little skills immediately starting on higher pay with benefits (Pensions/company car) which qualified good performing workers there for years were never offered.
I'm not complaining about the company directors/owners who work hard, more about all the hangers on, many of which regard the place as a social club with flexible days/hours.
Sure of course it's perfectly legal to pay anyone whatever you want, but I don't think operating an inner circle based solely on connections (not skills/experience or competence) is a good way to run a business, it's going to harm them in the long run.
Of course I get the impression that some commenting here are on the other side of that barrier, so it's in their benefit to diss me.
The situation has badly impacted on the moral within the rest of the staff. During the downturn years, we were brought into an office room (the non-connected employees only) and told about the paycut we were getting and that we were 'all in it' and all that stuff.
Of course being involved in the area of the business where I see what money's coming in/going out & payroll, so I could see that they were lying about applying the cut to themselves.
Even in the good times, the poor mouth is constantly put on, which is pretty stupid when some of use are aware of the cashflows, yet any increases never materialised even in the good times.
Anyway as someone said earlier you can vote with your feet & leave which is what I'm doing. It's not the same working there anymore since most of the staff members I was somewhat friendly with already seen sense and have left, some to the MNC sector.0 -
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The rate you're on, is it less than the industry average for what you do? Or is it just less than what you feel you should be paid?
The best scenario for everyone involved would be for you to move on and get paid more for your experience elsewhere, and for the company to replace you with someone with less experience able to do the same job (i'm assuming that your role is static).
Cruelcoin, from what I see online, I'd have to say at least 5,000 less, (excluding other benefits which are also advertised for these jobs) so you're probably right that it's best I move on. It's my own fault for staying too long really. I was led on for a while about expansion of roles which never materialised, especially after the owner retired and the kids took over.
Anyway from the replies I see significant preferential treatment seems to be standard across most of the indigenous sector so I know where I won't be going this time. 0 -
ZeroThreat wrote: »Anyway from the replies I see significant preferential treatment seems to be standard across most of the indigenous sector so I know where I won't be going this time.
That's a little misguided.
Again, it must be said, that once you are adequately paid for your role, then it's none of your business whatsoever what others are getting paid.
Once you're paid properly for the job you're doing, then any complaints you have are just you being petty. Getting mad at family being treated better in a family business is like getting mad at water for being wet.
You'll do better to accept it, or as you say, join an MNC.0 -
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