Boeing

Get a pin after 5 years of service. A clock after 10 years and an assigned parking spot after 20 years.

Preserving one's benefit is paramount. Boeing has been known for its pension and generous benefits.

Although these benefits have vanished for newcomers, those who have a pension and 2 or more decades at Boeing have a lot to lose, especially when the cost-cutting trend is now in full swing. Hanging on until eligibility is rather a complex game; trickier at the top than at the bottom.

Employee surveys, for instance, can really affect a manager's retirement. Employee surveys measure engagement. Gallup studies have shown a strong correlation between engagement and future earnings. A low employee engagement, meaning low participation in the employee survey, affects stock options and stock-related bonuses: the type of bonus one gets at the director and executive levels.

Affect their bonuses, and it trickles down to the managers.

So what should managers who have a pension to lose do? Be the advocate of their subordinates and risk losing their pension? That would go against human nature. Cowering is the logical answer, as Chairman Jim McNerney pointed out right after an earnings call with investors.

The time could not have been more appropriate. The more benefits waiting their maturity date, the more cowering. A negative feedback loop reinforced from the Chairman down to the hourly employee.

Looking at demographics, the average age at Boeing is right around 46. Although a significant percentage of Boeing employees are now eligible to retire (first wave of baby boomers), most are not there yet but close. During a cost-cutting trend, one can only imagine how excruciating the wait might be for those directors and managers. Cowering is a predictable consequence.

Cowering and fearing nurture discontent, fuel the fire with unions, and incidentally fuel the employee survey. Although the survey might show a high percentage of discontentment, the mere participation in an employee survey helps raise the engagement percentage up, which in turn helps directors and executives' stock options and retirement bonuses—cowering feeds the top layers.

Based on baby boomer pension benefits and retirement waves still to come, the cowering at Boeing is bound to last another decade at least. Who in his/her right mind would join such a company?

cower until you retire. The mere participation in an employee survey helps raise the engagement percentage up, which, in turn, helps directors and executives with stock options and retirement bonuses. Cowering feeds the top layers.

Based on Baby Boomer pension benefits and retirement waves still to come, the cowering at Boeing is bound to last another decade at least. Who in his/her right mind would join such a company?