CBS Corp – “The Tiffany Network has lost its luster for employees despite the recent programming successes.”

Pros

It was "The Tiffany Network" and boasts an impressive legacy of Programming, Talent and Producers who have made history in building the industry. The employees are generally a cut above the rest, they are smart, engaged, hard working and very creative and are proud of being a part of the CBS brand. The CBS name certainly enhances anyone's work history and their collection of industry contacts.

Cons

While there are some inspired and progressive division heads, that is not typical of the culture overall. Employees are not informed of current business plans as it relates to ongoing changes in their divisions, cuts are made and nothing is announced regarding the future. The end result is an overburdened, demoralized population which needs to produce more in the midst of a highly paranoid environment. Newly designed intiatives, programs are rolled out hastily without adequate lead time or expert trainers; training function during launches has been added on to already stretched staffers who are not always talented in this area. Tough jobs are consequently made more difficult as a result.

Advice to Senior Management

The adoption of Town Hall like forums would make a big difference. Creating some transparency across all of the divisions would be a major step in dispelling some of the dark clouds. Be out front and center in developing, mentoring and rewarding high potential people within the organization; historically key positions tended to be hired from the outside. This pattern is not a great incentive for those who stay on board during the tough times; what is the ROI for employees?