Undercover Boss reveals what is happening within the rank and file of the company, as the CEO of the company works undercover. They are introduced as a new employee and discover the good, bad and the ugly of how management is viewed by the employees and customers.

I applaud these CEOs for courageously investigating their own companies. I realize that it is not practical for all executives to do this, but the information, which is revealed can be transforming for the company. Some companies are using third party polling to achieve similar results. The honest input from the employees is vital to correcting the course of your company.

Your employees will not be honest if they believe there is any chance their identity will be discovered. They are simply afraid of loosing their jobs and not being able to provide for their families. So they endure job conditions that would cause them to move on if the job market were better. But their silence does not make your company strong and profitable. It actually prepares your company for disaster. Numerous studies were conducted in the last quarter of 2009, which asked current working employees if they were thinking of changing jobs when the economy improves. The results were frightening. They indicated that 50% – 70% of those polled were planning to change jobs, because they felt overworked and under appreciated. These are not your marginal workers. They have already been eliminated. These are some of your best workers. So you need to ask, what would it cost to have Key People leave without notice?

As a manager you have time to avert this potential threat to your company. So think of getting some assistance before you too are without a company to work for.

Ken Bear Cole

A Second Look Business Consulting LLC