A senior manager slams Sodexo

 

There are occasions when the addition of a commentary would be counter intuitive. This is one of them.

 

 

"I know you and your colleagues are managing the current negotiations with Sodexo/MoJ/NOMS re EVR and do not underestimate the challenges you are facing in any way -  but I just wanted to put a human take on the impact on my staff of Sodexo’s approach to “reductions/efficiencies”. .

 

Firstly staff feel completely betrayed and let down by Sodexo and the CEO – in my  area staff cannot understand why in the other 5 Sodexo  CRCs there are still some staff  who have been given the EVR scheme on last year’s terms, are still working  in the CRC and have had contracts extended to 2016. It appears they have the best of both worlds.

 

The “oversupply” terminology being used by CEOs (i.e. Sodexo) makes people feel like commodities such as kettles, or cups/plates – my staff are none of the above.

 

Secondly staff believe that Sodexo is trying to get rid of people on the cheap and through the backdoor via this new “voluntary severance” package – significant concerns relate to the fact that the CEO at a recent meeting could not answer questions posed regarding the difference between  VS and VR e.g. impact on benefits, taxation, credits etc.  Staff are totally confused and don’t know what is their best option – they also do not know where they will be based as the estates strategy is behind schedule.

 

Thirdly, staff are upset that there is very little recognition of the “personal impact” of Sodexo’s approach – there is nothing on the table as to  what will be made available to people to move on, get new jobs, deal with current personal impact etc  -  staff cannot understand why such support has not been made available before now.

 

A local story – there is a PO who has been placed  “at risk” and works p/t,  but today was doing work on their day off to support a recall application – somewhere in this adversarial environment the professionalism and commitment of staff is not appreciated or recognised.  

 

I just want to conclude by saying I have a wonderful staff group in my location , of whom I am extremely proud , who go way beyond the call of duty for me all the time and who are committed to rehabilitation, public protection, community safety and restorative justice  agendas.  

 

I wish Sodexo could understand and recognise this – and begin to recognise what they are at risk of losing."