Undercover Boss: Episode 2 Hooters
Paul in Cannon Beach
4,703 Posts
I am watching the 2nd episode of Undercover boss.
What I like:
- interesting, watchable show
- I learned alot about the Hooters company and history
- the CEO was a likeable person
What I didn't like
- at times felt like a long commercial
- workers were characterized as "good" or "bad"
- very simplistic ideas like "spend more time on the floor" are offered as lessons
- made me hungry for wings
What I like:
- interesting, watchable show
- I learned alot about the Hooters company and history
- the CEO was a likeable person
What I didn't like
- at times felt like a long commercial
- workers were characterized as "good" or "bad"
- very simplistic ideas like "spend more time on the floor" are offered as lessons
- made me hungry for wings
Comments
As for simple solutions, you hit the nail on the head there, too. I don't think this would happen at your retreat center, Paul, but if one of your supervisors ordered all of your female staffers to wear their scantiest clothing, put their hands behind their backs, and lap up a plate of baked beans like dogs eating from their bowls, would you punish the supervisor in the same way that the CEO did in this show? That is, "go back to the workplace and make an apology, then be sure to change your management style." Or something to that effect. In the "where are they now" notes at the end, it was even stated that the baked-bean-dispensing supervisor had "changed his management style." End of story.
I could be wrong, but I don't see this show lasting past the current TV season. The Amazing Race, on the other hand, is great! tk
Real workplaces (in my opinion) are far more interesting because there isnt always a happy ending. Sometimes the jerk supervisor wins. Not every CEO is friendly and interested in learning.
I am curious to see if there is any backlash to the situation you described above. The supervisors who made his waitresses eat a plate of beans without their hands isn't going to just "change his management style".
Sadism isnt a management style, its a character defect. I'll bet you an HR HERO t shirt that the plate of beans incident is just the tip of the iceberg with this clown.
At least CEO Coby Brooks reacted quickly. He apparently went out to his car and called the regional manager (or franchisee?) for the store, rather than wait until the end of the week when his undercover stint was over. Kept it within the chain of command, which is probablya good thing. On the other hand, when something like this is on tape, you'd better react quickly.
Which raises a fundamental question about this series - how much of the supervisors' conduct, good or bad, is influenced by the presence of a film crew? Okay, Jimbo's probably always like that, but the swagger may have been intensified to make good TV.
We've only had two episodes, and already the show's looking formulaic.
So far in both episodes, we've seen the CEO pose as a new hire and get put through the paces at a high-speed manual job. Training is nearly non-existent, the new hire fails, and the manager says, Sorry, you're not gonna work out.
So far in both, we've seen fellow employees who are willing to say unflattering things about management. On tape.
So far in both, we've seen a "good as gold" employee who's rewarded by the CEO at the end of the show. Great for pulling on viewers' heartstrings, not so good for consistent treatment of employees.
Actually, the vacation he gave Marcie in this show was a creative touch. He didn't give her a big raise, which might have prompted other single mom managers at other Hooters stores to ask for the same. And she did seem like a terrific manager.
Long-term takeaways from these shows for managers, so far:
1. Know what your CEO looks like. If he's a man, imagine him with more/less facial hair.
2. If someone shows up with a camera crew claiming to be doing a documentary on new hires in the workplace, take the day off.
3. Unless, of course, you've got a great story of personal hardship.
By the way, Hooters is for sale for $250 million. Thats $125 million per hooter.