If it makes you feel any better, I work for the Govt, and this is perfectly describes life in my office since Can-Do Campbell's reign of terror. In fact, in my Dept, they've just created a bunch of new senior management positions, but the plebs are still doing double the workload because we're not allowed to fill vacant positions
Doesn't make me feel better. Similar here; we've got a hiring freeze as well. Imagine it's the same in most industries given we're competing against people who work for a poofteenth of the wages or against companies who have superior automation / higher quality / better processes. Don't imagine there are many places you can go where they're hiring for well-paid cushy roles with plenty of development, job satisfaction and with a healthy work-life balance.
I have been lucky. Have worked for 2 large Australian businesses that promote within and by and large support innovation. The first business developed me from a shopfloor forklift driver who hadn't finished year 12 to a state management role. I left that business after 17 years and moved to my current employer. I actually moved backwards to come here but in the ten years since I have been here I have been developed to my current role in a Asia Pac managerial role. I like to think thats because I added value. No degrees, no letters after my name, just from finding ways to add value and demonstrate how you add value.
I think the landscape would have changed a lot over that time. Training and development is much lighter on due to people's greater propensity to switch jobs and the expense and time commitment required to train someone up to a decent level. Uni degrees are common as muck and worth about as much, but it'll be an uncommonly brave HR person these days bypassing shiny credentials for actual knowledge and know-how. It's not a great economy at the moment, and the current company I work for and the one before are up for sale. Pretty much identical treatment in both cases: punt the knowledge out the door (too expensive), gut the maintenance crew (too expensive, too much risk and liability, get the contractors in), slash the maintenance and production budgets and run the machines 24/7... might look like a great business to buy for a year or three, until the place falls apart.
Had a barbecue for some bloke being with the company for 40 years earlier in the week. Don't think I'll ever see that again. He still wants another 10 out of the joint.
Cannon82 I hear you with regards to bad managers. Have seen plenty of them and worked for plenty of them. Luckily in a large business you can find ways around them usually.
Mmmm... sometimes. Not on a huge site here, and the two bad managers we have; one is about to become my immediate boss, and the other runs the site. Probably should leave it at that on a public forum.