Executive Leadership Issues. Poor Work Environment. Look elsewhere.
Pros
- Finning is a historic brand in some circles - The company has operations in a variety of countries which can provide exposure to international perspectives, in some circumstances - Cash compensation is middle of the road. - Benefits are ok
Cons
- Disconnected executive team. Some of the executive team is not connected to the heartbeat of the organization. This has led to poor strategic decision-making when it comes to investing in IT infrastructure, marketing and pricing frameworks - specifically. The company's decreasing margins seem to support this notion. Competitors, such as Toromont, are gaining ground. - No innovation. Finning is not equipped to innovate. It can invest money and buy IT systems, but it cannot pull it together in a strategic way. Very poor return on investment (ROI). Innovation takes consistent leadership, honest communication, empowered employees and a competitive drive. Unfortunately, Finning fails in those categories. The company has rarely had to excel in recent years, due to its symbiotic relationship with CAT. Recent missteps include IT/SAP implementation failures, write-downs and strategy false starts (Digital/IT) with no consequences for the executive who led the way. - Poor leadership. A few specific executives (Digital/IT and Finning Canada) have extremely poor leadership skills with behaviours that are belligerent, abusive, sexist and racist. It is quite serious. I believe the CEO is aware on some level, but nothing has been done so far. This contributes to poor morale, a disingenuous commitment to the cause and people not wanting to speak up for fear of being undermined. Unfortunately, this culture will persist until the causes/people are removed. - Fear-based culture. There is a culture of not wanting to do the right thing for fear of the consequences. It greatly hinders progress. - Low trust environment with too many cliques. Being associated with the correct team is critical at Finning. It is less about work ethic, competence, innovation or productivity - despite management claims. People are routinely promoted passed their competence level. It is also extremely likely that you will be undermined by one of the following - HR, your manager or a leader from another group. The reason is the fear-based culture, referenced above. It is pervasive so be prepared. - Low job stability. This is a long-standing issue at Finning. At least 10 years. Get ready for several rounds of layoffs and cost cutting, despite management claims. It has been happening for so many years. It is a clear symptom of poor fiscal planning, reckless executive oversight and suboptimal operational controls. - Mental health and toxic work environment. I was alarmed at the number of people on sick-leave and/or privately struggling with mental health. I came to learn that this is a direct result of the toxic work environment. If you decide to join, please manage accordingly. - Low performance environment. Finning is not an environment for people with new approaches acquired from other organizations. This is not an 'opportunity for change'. Do not be fooled. New approaches do not land well at Finning due to entrenched thinking and a culture of resistance. High performers from other companies will quickly find themselves frustrated and demoralized. The company desperately wants high performance but does not know how to create an environment that fosters high performance. Overall, Finning is a mix of wavering and uncommitted strategies that is held together by history. Unfortunately, that is not sustainable. Consider looking elsewhere if you want a long and/or fulfilling career.