Chapek and D'Amaro continue the tradition of no bonus or Christmas gift for Disney's Cast Members

[Lilofan]

Or a Because we love you end of year appreciation bonus. Parties always sucked anyway, and as a manager I was always having to break up a drunken argument or in a couple of incidents take a plastered underaged employee home to his Mother and Father when I didn't even know he was drinking. Other employee's thought it was funny to get a newbie drunk. If only they could have been the ones to explain to the parents how I didn't realize he was being given alcohol. I was so glad when we stopped doing that. Heck I even had to calm down the folks when the owner got drunk and handsy during it.

Bonus's in non-corporate jobs were there on occasion but few and small in size.

What it all boils down to is that many people either died during this pandemic (no, it wasn't just old people), but many took the opportunity to seek out new jobs and didn't return to the entry level positions. Now we are hearing about how bad it is finding people to make places like restaurants run. And even though it isn't a skilled job, wait services are vital. Just last night four of us went to Outback for a birthday dinner for my grandson. The restaurant was large and when we walked in there were no more then 12 customers and in spite of having many open tables we were force to wait. Why? Because they were understaffed and they had called in a person to help and he hadn't arrived yet. We only waited about 15 minutes before he apparently showed up. This guy was trying really hard but I don't think he every waited tables before. It took him two tries to even get the drinks right. One Sprite, One Diet Coke and two waters.

He took our order and had to come back 10 minutes later because he had lost the paper he had written our order on and asked us again what we wanted. One order was partially wrong when it arrived. My grandson ordered a combo with steak (medium) and chicken and he received Steak (cooked to shoe leather) and shrimp. We felt bad for him because even without our asking the Manager came over to apologize for all the screw ups. The meal did turn out to be very good and the problems just became something to chuckle about. It didn't affect his tip. He was doing the best he could. These places are going to have to realize the waiting tables in a higher priced place is really a skilled job if done right. And far more in need of proficiency then pointing two fingers toward the restroom or asking how many are in your party. Pay should reflect that and not be reliant on jacka$$ customers to give them enough money in a tip to make it worth their time, even if it isn't sufficient for full fledged suburban lifestyles.

I've attended open bar Christmas parties at the company I worked for back in the day. Thank goodness it was in a hotel where a number of drunks could get a hotel room instead of driving home.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I've met senior retirees working full time at Disney because some cannot survive paying monthly expenses collecting social security. One person I know from Europe vacationed at WDW. Commented on the amount of "senior citizens " working in the theme parks. I take it seniors don't need to work in Europe?

What? Nobody said seniors and retirees don’t work at Walt Disney World. A retiree is by definition someone who doesn’t need to work.

 

[Lilofan]

What? Nobody said seniors and retirees don’t work at Walt Disney World. A retiree is by definition someone who doesn’t need to work.

Your comment of seniors working for extra cash doesn't tell the whole picture.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Your comment of seniors working for extra cash doesn't tell the whole picture.

Read more carefully. I said Walt Disney World cannot operate only with students and retirees who want extra cash.

 

[mp80237]

One thing I need to throw in here. If I was 18 again, no way would I attend college with the tuition rates now. Reading stories when many are just paying the interest rate (and that is $600 or more a month). Comparing then and now, you really can't because college rates have surpassed inflation severalfold. That all bring said, many of these jobs will not be starter jobs. They will be many people's life time job. And I don't understand why employers can't make their jobs better

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

I've met senior retirees working full time at Disney because some cannot survive paying monthly expenses collecting social security. One person I know from Europe vacationed at WDW. Commented on the amount of "senior citizens " working in the theme parks. I take it seniors don't need to work in Europe?

That's true for some, but I think many other seniors (of which I am one) just want to retire and work for Disney. They have visited alot in the past and loved it, and the idea grew. I must admit, we have tossed around that idea, but never really seriously. So some of the seniors probably wanted to work there after all their "working" lives.

 

[PixarPerfect]

I have to admit that I'm stunned at how few here have experienced Christmas bonuses. I've received one at every job I've ever had (save for one year when business was bad and money was tight). Bonuses are a means of a company showing appreciation for the contributions that their hard-working employees make to their success...seems like many in the corporate world could stand an education in what makes a company actually run...

There's something that's not covered by the above. Annual performance reviews and raises. People in the corporate world are not expected to stay at the same lowest level their entire careers. Good work is generally rewarded by annual raises, promotions, and an increase in perks like additional vacation time, increased profit sharing, etc. The longer one stays with a company, the more perks are generally released (see stock options).

These are performance-based rewards intended to incentivize better employees and those who give back to the company. In larger corporations, they happen at every level. A blanket gift to everyone in the company does not have the same impact. Personally I'd prefer to be rewarded for my work and have the option to move up within a company vs. having everyone receive a turkey every year.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

There's something that's not covered by the above. Annual performance reviews and raises. People in the corporate world are not expected to stay at the same lowest level their entire careers. Good work is generally rewarded by annual raises, promotions, and an increase in perks like additional vacation time, increased profit sharing, etc. The longer one stays with a company, the more perks are generally released (see stock options).

These are performance-based rewards intended to incentivize better employees and those who give back to the company. In larger corporations, they happen at every level. A blanket gift to everyone in the company does not have the same impact. Personally I'd prefer to be rewarded for my work and have the option to move up within a company vs. having everyone receive a turkey every year.

The idea that performance-based rewards occur at every level isn't reality...although it should be.

 

[castlecake2.0]

While I cut them slack in Christmas 2020 for not sending out anything, by Christmas 2021 the world was mostly back to normal (except in California and New York). If you can operate theme parks again for 75,000+ people per day, you can mail out Christmas cards again.

If the tradition had been to send out a Christmas card to theme park retirees, that's not something that should just be stopped entirely without an explanation.

It seems Bob Chapek and Josh Damaro are trying to use the pandemic to cut as much fluff out of the budget as possible, hiding behind the excuse that it was "Not Safe!" to operate a mass mailing project in the fall of 2020.

The execs running the theme park division now simply don't get it. They're clueless and inept.

I can’t find the post you quoted but wanted to let that particular member know that you have to request them now either through the retiree site or by calling ticketing. If they see this and want more help please let me know.

 

[PixarPerfect]

The idea that performance-based rewards occur at every level isn't reality...although it should be.

Advancement does. Disney itself has stories of people who started off pouring sodas and are now executives. People who stand out through their work are generally rewarded and/or promoted (or can go to a company where they will receive that reward). If someone spends his or her entire career at the same entry level job, at the same company, perhaps the issue isn't with the company as it is with the person.

 

[Ayla]

There's something that's not covered by the above. Annual performance reviews and raises. People in the corporate world are not expected to stay at the same lowest level their entire careers. Good work is generally rewarded by annual raises, promotions, and an increase in perks like additional vacation time, increased profit sharing, etc. The longer one stays with a company, the more perks are generally released (see stock options).

These are performance-based rewards intended to incentivize better employees and those who give back to the company. In larger corporations, they happen at every level. A blanket gift to everyone in the company does not have the same impact. Personally I'd prefer to be rewarded for my work and have the option to move up within a company vs. having everyone receive a turkey every year.

DH gets a raise every year, based on his performance review in addition to private stock and the other things I mentioned earlier. I'm not going to say the percentage because I'd probably get skewered. Some of you work for really crappy companies.

 

[jlhwdw]

Going with your question.. I now wonder...

Has anyone ever seen Cheapek with a trash bag or telescopic trash picker?

I've seen executives moving around the parks (last time I was by November of this year 2021.. there were quite a few execs going around in DHS and Animal Kingdom). I seen a few of them PICK trash with their bare hands using a napkin and putting it in trashcans.

Those were likely just park level managers. Execs aren't going to be in the park, and they certainly aren't going to pick up trash.

 

[Lilofan]

Advancement does. Disney itself has stories of people who started off pouring sodas and are now executives. People who stand out through their work are generally rewarded and/or promoted (or can go to a company where they will receive that reward). If someone spends his or her entire career at the same entry level job, at the same company, perhaps the issue isn't with the company as it is with the person.

Not unless you are a waiter at some fine dining locations doing the same role for many years. I know some in cities that bring home six figure income and earn more annually than their salaried boss.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

Advancement does. Disney itself has stories of people who started off pouring sodas and are now executives. People who stand out through their work are generally rewarded and/or promoted (or can go to a company where they will receive that reward). If someone spends his or her entire career at the same entry level job, at the same company, perhaps the issue isn't with the company as it is with the person.

Those instances of advancement are very few and far between - for a company as huge as Disney, it should happen way more often.

 

[matt9112]

There's something that's not covered by the above. Annual performance reviews and raises. People in the corporate world are not expected to stay at the same lowest level their entire careers. Good work is generally rewarded by annual raises, promotions, and an increase in perks like additional vacation time, increased profit sharing, etc. The longer one stays with a company, the more perks are generally released (see stock options).

These are performance-based rewards intended to incentivize better employees and those who give back to the company. In larger corporations, they happen at every level. A blanket gift to everyone in the company does not have the same impact. Personally I'd prefer to be rewarded for my work and have the option to move up within a company vs. having everyone receive a turkey every year.

You imply that they cant coexist.....a nice end of the year party cant occur in a company that does the things you mention? Wierd.

 

[Lilofan]

You imply that they cant coexist.....a nice end of the year party cant occur in a company that does the things you mention? Wierd.

It is towards the end of the year but to celebrate and recognize service anniversaries specifically is when MK closes at 4pm one day late in the year to the dismay of some guests so to prepare for a private park party for the thousands of invited cast members later that evening.

 

[PixarPerfect]

You imply that they cant coexist.....a nice end of the year party cant occur in a company that does the things you mention? Wierd.

No, I did not imply that. I never once mentioned a party, either.

 

[PixarPerfect]

Not unless you are a waiter at some fine dining locations doing the same role for many years. I know some in cities that bring home six figure income and earn more annually than their salaried boss.

A waiter at a fine dining location is hardly an entry level job, is it?

I should add that this is a job that has an inherent performance-based reward. The compensation (tips) is variable and based on performance.

 

[Lilofan]

Er, a waiter at a fine dining location is hardly an entry level job, is it?

More or less in terms of staff reporting up the food chain.

 

[PixarPerfect]

Those instances of advancement are very few and far between - for a company as huge as Disney, it should happen way more often.

I suspect that has more to do with people not staying with a company than the company itself. It's a fact that today's workforce just doesn't stick around the way our grandparents did. To get ahead and make more money, most of us have learned to company-hop and take bigger roles and salaries with each move.