Wednesday, February 17, 2010

We have an Image to Improve

(You will notice I labeled this shows, because not all shows are on TV anymore.)

I have recently watched a new show called 'Undercover Boss'.  It was on after the Superbowl and after eating like 6 pounds of fat I didn't feel like getting up.  Anyway I have to say I am glad I didn't.  The aforementioned show was interesting to say the least.  So basically the premise is that the CEO of a corporation goes undercover as a low-level employee to see how the corporation really works.

This show is meant to pull the tears out.  It plays up the drama a lot.  I have to admit as well if I was one of the employees and this guy (or girl) had a camera crew following them around I would be suspicious.  Maybe not that it was the CEO but I don't know if you could get honest people and honest situations.  Everyone plays for the camera.

Anyway, the good.  I think there is quite a place in corporate America for the CEOs to come down and look around.  I think too often 'numbers' get thrown around without actually doing any good.  However I don't know how good of an opinion you can form by just working a job for a day.  Also I like it that highly compensated individuals have problems doing basic jobs.  Maybe companies could be more accomidating for people to learn those skills.

The bad, it is contrived.  Every person the CEO meets gets something at the end.  I feel like a couple of them are like whammies.  One person gets a $10,000 trip and another gets to 'hold the CEO accountable'.  Every show so far has a person whom the CEO basically showers with presents for just doing a job.  Now that being said some of them are doing hard jobs that multiple people should do.  However there is likely at least 10 people in the companies that are just like the person singled out, why shouldn't they be found out either, and compensated?  A lot of people have tough lives, is it fair to favor one person over another for a non-work related reason?  Additionally is it a fair way to spend money in the company?  Showering one person with gifts?  I also suspect that this is basically orchestrated by the film crew but you never know.  I will say that the first one who got 'presents' was doing the jobs of multiple people and because of the show would be getting more help so the work wasn't overloaded.  That seems like a better way to go forth from the show.

To be honest I don't think I will be watching the show much longer.  While heart warming occasionally I feel like the actual positive effects are negated by the biased way the show places them.

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