CBC’s spanky new H.R. branding: “My Total Rewards”
I’m sure you saw this in your Groupwise, but in case you missed it, the Corp has developed a splashy new web site and campaign called My Total Rewards.
On the CBC intranet, there’s even a Flash video [internal link only] with happy generic stock-photographer workers.
The intranet site is a central location where staffers can check in to find information about their salary, benefits, pension, etc.
Clearly, CBC is ramping up its efforts in recruiting now that the workforce is shrinking.
But not everyone is thrilled. As one CBC staffer emailed me:
“Am I really the only one who finds the concept of re-branding our paycheques as “rewards” insulting?
I’ve searched around and can’t find any reaction. Perhaps people have just become numb to those emails and didn’t notice.
But are we enrolled in an airline rewards program I didn’t know about? Does working at the CBC help you fly to those far distant locations you’ve always dreamed of?
I was under the impression that CBC paid me because of the work I did. Since when is this bi-weekly paycheque considered a reward?”
What do you think? Have you visited the site? Do you find it helpful?
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so… if this is like any OTHER ‘Rewards’ plan…
will you eventually have to grovel & scrape to GET the ‘extras’… ?
just wondering if its anything like Frequent ‘customer’ Rewards (aka, “better data acquisition with client monitoring card…”)
You know, if they just RFID tagged all Canadians, then they wouldn’t have to wonder…
“Total Rewards” *gack*
what a total head game…
Spread Love…
… but wear the Glove!
BlueBerry Pick’n
can be found @
ThisCanadian
“Silent Freedom is Freedom Silenced”
I had the exact same reaction! Since when is a paycheque that I work for, and benefits that my union negotiates for me considered a “reward”?!?! I think they’re all getting much too carried away with the buzz words and thinking that we will swallow everything they try to shovel down our throats… If we had some HONEST communications from management, and the feeling that they REALLY cared at all about employees, perhaps we might accept this kind of thing, but if and until that ever happens, it’s all hot air…
If only they’d let me collect Air Miles for every hour worked
I think that CBC is attempting to show us that we’re getting more out of working here than just our base pay and should feel happy about it.
I feel so rewarded and grateful.
People think I’m crazy when I go on about how management treats us like children; this is a perfect example. I don’t even use that kind of language with my 7-year old.
A wise person told me that when you work, you are selling your time. Nothing more, nothing less. Calling my pay a ‘reward’ makes it seem like something that lawfully belongs to me somehow doesn’t. Perhaps this is a new spin strategy. Think pension surplus.
The CBC has posted people’s salaries?!
Let’s hope no hard drives go missing.
But what does this site have to do with “efforts in recruiting”?
I love the program. If I collect enough rewards points every month, I get to pay my rent!
I looked at the “Rewards” site when I received the email with the link to it. Other than the fancy flash – there was nothing new on the site.
Like others, I find that the entire concept of calling my salary and benefits “Rewards”, is just plain insulting. This smacks of the typical condescension we constantly receive from Senior Management – esp HR.
Re-branding, in general, is only used when you aren’t really changing anything. This exercise typifies that concept.
I feel sorry for those poor “employees” who modelled for the site. If, in fact, they are real people who work for the corpse, they will be forever branded as the Rewards Models. My bet is that they were outside models – or HR personnel who had no choice but to voluntold for the pics.
Someone had some money to spend and couldn’t figure out what to spend it on.
In that case, Mike, wouldn’t it be more like an “allowance”?
For good behaviour?
But if I were your employer, I’d require a little more than your time.
I would also like to see some hand, arm, and leg movement.
Do you really think that management treats you like children?
They don’t treat you with respect?
Are you sure it’s not fearful false bravado?
I did think that Rabinovitch’s remarks after the lock-out were demeaning toward employees. And I guess we have to take him at his word that that’s how he really feels.
But I would have preferred he kept his conceit to himself, and given the troops an uplifting message in public, instead of only snide remarks in the press.
So, Mike, I for one don’t think you’re crazy.
I really really wish we had one or two HR people who knew the slightest thing about broadcasting. Because they seem to live on their own planet.
April
I’ve always thought they lived in a vacuum, when did they get their own planet and how come they didn’t send out an all staff about.
Such as:
“Attention all employees:
Please note that HR has officially moved to the Planet Nebulous.
French and English versions of this text to follow shortly.”
april, tell us one “slightest thing” that HR people don’t know about broadcasting.
Just one little thing to demonstrate your point, and that justifies your blanket insult of an entire department.
But I suspect that for you, who knows broadcasting, this assignment will prove too tough and far too revealing.
When I disparage someone, I’m generally prepared to back it up.
I too found the website a little odd. Kinda seemed like a make-work project for some poor HR person.
April – for that matter, find us a ‘broadcaster’ who knows anything about HR.
Tea? China? Anyone? Mr. Spicoli?
What’s in a word? Clearly HR has tried to some degree of success to encompass our salaries and benefits in a word:rewards. They’re right, but the word has been watered down through over-use in airline commercials, for instance. Here are a few alternatives from the thesaurus using rewards as a noun: accolades, awards, benefits, bonuses, bounties, brownie points. Also, compensation, dividend and premium. But I prefer goodies because it’s cheerful. But ultimately the benefits as laid out by the company aren’t “rewards” per se. They are negotiated perks.
Wow – as an ex-CBC’er (Radio in SK), I’d forgot how synical and negative employee attitudes towards management can be. I now work in the private sector, in HR, and agree that HR-speak is the cornerstone of the much-hated "corporate speak", but come on people, the good folks in HR are just trying to do their jobs about letting you know the full picture about what benefits you have by working for the Mother Corp. Who cares what brand or wording they use? Grow up…
well, Greg, I see you’ve totally acclimatized yourself to the HR subculture, have fun on planet nebulous.
I love it. If you work for a marketing company shouldn’t you get paid in air miles. If I worked for a telemarketing company shouldn’t I get paid in Air Time? I could resell it and become my own phone company. It’s the barter system. How much is 15 seconds of CBC air time worth to you? There was a guy just recently who paid $15’000 dollars for a lost dog. That would be local broadcasting, unless it was a Greyhound.
Canada’s public sector has the highest level of unionization in the country. The CBC has the highest level of unionization in the public sector. Is there any wonder that it costs so much for such little value ? Imagine the amount of energy that the people who "do the work" are spending fighting every management attempt at change for the good?
To bad the Canadian tax payer has to pay for this little school yard playground!