Senior management’s dictatorial style is leading to impossible working conditions

Senior management’s dictatorial style is leading to impossible working conditions

I am in agreement with the Letter of the Week sent in by a Thomas Cook branch manager (Travel Weekly October 23).

As a Thomas Cook manager myself, I have witnessed a large number of experienced shop staff leave the company in the last few months due to the impossible working conditions senior management impose on staff.

Ihave just learned I will have to tell my staff that as from January, they will not be allowed to take Saturdays off for almost half the year.

I appreciate Saturday is the busiest trading day for most branches, but I, along with many other managers, have been successfully resourcing our branches for the past few years.

Those of us on the frontline know it is possible to let staff take Saturday off and still maintain adequate cover in the branch.

This decision will aggrieve staff and is another example of the emerging dictatorial management style at Thomas Cook.

I enjoy my job and have been a Thomas Cook ‘A’ Performer. I understand the need for controls and standards, but things are deteriorating at Thomas Cook and it saddens me that I have found myself looking through the job pages with interest over the last few weeks.

A survey of staff morale among all shop staff (not just a selected few) is needed urgently, with the results published and concerns acted upon.

Manny, there is a fear of speaking out in this company as we have seen what happened to those who have.

Any survey would have to be conducted by an independent company.

With approximately 150 staff vacancies at the moment in the shops alone, senior management should be doing more to keep staff and ensure they remain happy and motivated.

After all, a happy workforce is a more productive one.

Name and address withheld