Discovery Communications – “Is Discovery losing its spirit of discovery in the face of frenetic expansion and corporatism?”

Pros

The workforce is of a rich multicultural background and the company foments diversity in the workplace. Discovery has a strong policy to balance work and life, and offer ample opportunities and benefits for growth from pursuing education, with partial payment of costs, to onsite training in applications that advance your work skills.

The environment is creative and cheerful, and their offices are conveniently located.

The Company pays good wages in comparison to others similar in nature, however depending on individual experience or area of expertise.

There is a lot of communication and information to become well acquainted with all the company offers. The content is exciting and there is never a dull moment, neither from the job itself, nor from the colleagues with whom you share your day. Exceptional talent works here and great people are drawn to this company for the laurels it rests upon.

Cons

Despite it being a media and communications company, and despite having an elaborate internal communication structure, employees are mostly in the dark as to processes and procedures.

There is a lot of training offered, when it comes to it, the fact is, it is sink or swim, meaning that the enormous network must be deciphered on one's own, or run the risk of being belittled or intimidated by your manager ... albeit with a kind face.

There is a dire lack of management that results in poor communication and waste of talent and time... and resulting in mediocrity camouflaged...
New hires are taken on as temporarily or as contracted through Ranstaad... it is tough to get into the ranks of Discovery per se.
Their incentives are not easy to take advantage of, the fact of the matter is, there is no time, or most of the benefits and training takes place at impossible times, or all day disrupting the work flow, or in Silver Springs headquarters.

It is an every man to himself attitude that prevails among some departments, with managers quelling an employee's efforts to excel in creativity and effectiveness.

There is an overall sense that no one knows what is going on, but all follow along from a sense of complacency, and relief to continue working in a place due to the fact that many deem that in Miami there is nowhere better to go from here.

There has been a big turn over in the company with dozens of layoffs... yes, in part due to the downturn in the economy, but also due to an aggressive expansion and capitalization strategy. All in all it boils down to another brick in the wall...

Advice to Senior Management

Communicate and foment a sense of structure and purpose to your teams, from the bottom to the top - in that direction.

Talk the talk, because Discovery is great at that, especially at its Town Halls, and Exito meetings and breakfasts with the CEOs, potlucks, and Halloween bashes... But it is also necessary to Walk the Walk, and respect the promises to employees... in as much as you can in a corporate cog/wheel dynamic that ensues from having capital dictate the ebb and flow of your human resources.

Don't give inconsequential Pep Rallies, when you speak of how brilliant the company is doing revenue wise, but then cut back on your workforce with the swiftness of a machete wielding cane worker.

Give those that merit recognition the positive recognition they merit.

There is a happy face mentality in the workplace, but beneath there is a dog eat dog rationale, creating cliques, back stabbing, intimidation management, and disillusionment with the company in the end.

Remember, you exhaust the spirit of your corps and you end up exhausting your core.

Work from the ground up when making decisions that will affect everyone... do not forget the humble origins not only your own but also that of the founders of the company, and the foundations of Discovery.