The Great Place to Work Survey

In a vivid demonstration of the "denial" with which UJC's Chief Professional Officer works or his ill-formed belief that he runs a very happy ship (after all which one of us wouldn't be happy working in an environment in which the boss is the consummate bully), UJC signed on to participate in the Great Place to Work Survey. This research tool is designed, according to its sponsor -- the Great Place to Work Institute -- "...to building a better society by helping companies transform their workplaces...that trust between managers and employees is the primary defining characteristic of the best workplaces." Noble and inspirational. Federations ranging in size and scope from New York to Colorado engaged in the research and published the results.

So, the UJC staff was called upon to complete the Survey in 2007, before Vicki Agron was forced out under humiliating and unprofessional circumstances, before Val Cutina quit, but after the Gail Hyman force-out, the Doron Krakow force-out, etc., etc. And, guess what -- the lay leadership of UJC was (1) unaware the research was being conducted and (2) when they became aware, denied access to the results.

Those of us inside the organization didn't need a Survey to know that morale has never been lower, that more resumes are in circulation "on the street" than ever before, and that UJC's top professional leadership wants no data that would conflict with their perception that everyone at UJC is happy, happy, happy. They're daft.