Pros
• Decent salary and choice of flexible working hours • Majority of Engineering / Design staff, Flying Squad, Travel Team, Warehouse and Workshop personnel hard working, friendly and helpful • Opportunity to build good working relationships with colleagues to successfully deliver work • Some of the specialist / technical authorities really know their stuff and always willing to give you their time. These people represent what is and was great about Sparrows
Cons
• Engineers are there to support the “support” functions and focus taken away from key Engineering duties • Multitude of generally outdated facilities and infrastructure with limited desk space in some offices. Excel spreadsheets are commonplace instead of modern and efficient systems • Lack of car parking spaces not helped by every middle manager having their own space and not always used. Portrays a culture of importance due to job title • Annual appraisals non-existent / little to no development is offered for majority of engineers whether this be general training to gain skills or company funded courses. IMechE accreditation scheme is poorly managed. Getting the job done is seen as priority over developing yourself • An element of favouritism exists with some gaining multiple promotions ahead of others without any demonstration of experience, skill sets or leadership (jobs for the boys and girls). Many who work hard and show potential are consistently overlooked, with some even demoted to protect others positions. Expected to get your head down and not question why • Some management only see the negative in people and are quick to blame others. Decisions hastily made that can affect projects will be blamed on the engineers running them who are thrown under the bus and expected to do as they are told to get the job done. No team work ethic between some managers and their engineers • A culture of fear you feel afraid to speak up in fear of being disciplined and HR will not back you up • Speaking your mind about how a job should be run or improved can be met with hostility and you may be quickly shot down for voicing your opinion. Some management will disagree with your decision even when you have fully justified this • Penny pinching culture. No bonuses and 1 pay rise in about 4. Company has paid off people in the past despite making healthy profit during downturn / COVID • It is rare to get a thank you or job well done when you go the extra mile on a project, even if this means working extended and unpaid hours to do this
