My rating is purely based on my experience in Fidelity’s IT department specifically in plan admin group.
I had horrible experiences in this group, primarily because of all the politics that goes around. The modus operandi for this group is traditional command and control in the today’s world where openness, collaboration, and team work is paramount for being successful in competitive world. There is reverse discrimination (discrimination based on ethnicity by Indian managers toward Indian worker), ignorance of meaning of word ‘leadership’, age based discrimination, and disregards of person’s ability/skills/experience.
Reverse Discrimination: I have experience a constant reminder that am Indian and shouldn’t forget that where I come from. Don’t think you would be treated equal, just because you are working in US along with US workers. I would still latch on the fear tactics, which is based on fear of numbers (i.e. don’t care what you bring to the table, I would replace you with a cheap labor from India), to make you submissive. Only when you are submissive, then you will be given anything (responsibility, promotion, raise, bonuses etc.). Otherwise forget about it. How are can you be creative, and realize your potential when you are being force in submission by your leadership? What a paradox!
Leadership: Middle managers (VP & Below) don’t get the meaning of leadership. Leadership is about bringing out the best from each individual not force him/her into submission, and then use them as labor. They are uninspiring, have no stewardship, have no contextual awareness, and bully. I have seen people going into clinical depression who have worked there for many years, and gave best their lives to the company. These managers have no regards for that, and have no idea how to inspire people to actualize themselves. They are micromanager because they don’t know how to create value for businesses which would create value for themselves as well as value for people working for them.
Age based discrimination: Managers discriminate people with higher age because they can smell nonsense from a mile. Uninspiring leadership would naturally resolve to tactics of command & control, carrot & sticks, and God knows what else. One weapon in their armor is to fire aged guys 35 & above and hire young one for cheap. Instead of leveraging experience, and skills of senior person, they are condemned to dark roads after giving best years of their lives to the organization.
Disregard for skill/knowledge/experience: Doesn’t matter how highly educated you are or what skills do you have or what experience you have, you still be treated like a labor. There is no decentralization of decision making, empowering the team, or given chances to advance your career.
Politics: Highly political environment. Sometimes it felt like we are not in business world but in political world, where pulling one another down by any means necessary is fair game. In my opinion, the deep reason for such behavior is fear of losing job. Subconsciously, that fear brings out protectionist tendencies, and creates unfair environment. Below is tactics for harassing people.
• Don’t let them talk to business folk – red tape.
• Don’t let them have their vacations when they want.
• Don’t communicate expectation from the job. Keep vague definition of roles and responsibilities so that they can be mended and used against people to break them down mentally.
• Act like a bully for people who don’t agree with your idea. Typical Indian way of working. Create gang of unskilled sycophants to intimidate others by show of force.
• Always criticize, never appreciate.
• Don’t clearly communicate goals, vision, or strategy for the group. I most certainly think that they have idea what these means, or how value creation process work.
