Have you seen CBS's Undercover Boss?

[recto101]

I think this show is good it resembles Morgan Spurlock's 30 days over from FX. It shows CEO's learning to respect lower level workers and learning to change working conditions to meet workers demand.

 

[MarcB]

I like it. I watched 3 of the 4 episodes - The one from Hooters, The one from 7-11, and the one that was just on from White Castle. But you should see what some morons were saying on White Castle Facebook Fan Page. They were calling The Castle Cheap because they only gave $5000 for Jose to go to Culinary School and $5000 to help the dude with the visually impaired little boy. Cheap? $5000? I'd hardly call that cheap, considering they didn't have to offer them any money at all. If someone offered me $5000 to help me better myself, I'd take the money and run, something these people on the Facebook Fan Page obviously don't get.

 

[raptusregaliter]

Sorry Marc. I've gotta agree with the morons. I've watched all three episodes and liked them all (except for some of the cheesy stuff at the end), but the "rewards" to the good employees do seem kind of piddling--especially when White Castle, 7/11, Hooters, et al get the equivalent of millions in free advertising.

It's true that the companies don't have to pay anything, but the cynic in me says: the CEO gets to look great, the company gets a huge boost, and the vision-impaired special needs kid? Well his folks get 5 grand and a "we wish you well." It's nice, but not that nice.

 

[FreddyE1977]

I've gotta call "staged" here. I can't believe that the CEO's of these major corporations can just stroll onto a jobsite
without being recognized. If nothing else all of the middle managers (who live in mortal quaking fear of what the
troops might say to The Big Boss) would be tipping them off in an effort at damage control.

Not to mention, what if the cameras catch a major health code violation, racism, sexual harrassment, or (gasp!)
union organizing? I can't imagine that the corporation or the CEO is going to allow CBS to run with that footage.
The legal exposure alone could be just mind-boggling. Nah, Corporate America would not allow this were it not
staged or scripted somehow. They are just too risk-averse.

 

[MarcB]

The cameras did catch health code violations on The White Castle episode. Employees handling the food without wearing gloves.

 

[recto101]

Hey the CEO of the investment banks and defense contractors won't do this show. The CEO of halliburton or Goldman Sachs would never do Undercover boss. and I accept this statement.

 

[vchimpanzee]

This is a good show.

I can't believe all these CEOs thought this up on their own, unless the ones we've seen so far pitched the idea to whoever filmed it.

Sooner or later "a documentary on entry-level workers" will be an obvious clue.

So far, no real problems. There could be a real mess soon. I thought with Hooters they had one.

 

[imhomerjay]

Not "staged" in that the companies have no control over it. They agree, and know the risks of how it may turn out.

As for people not knowing the CEO showing up...that's not at all unlikely. If anyone thinks the majority of front-line workers would know their CEO if they fell over them hasn't been out there in the real world enough, perhaps. They have far more things on their mind, like their jobs.

 

[Frank Ferreri]

How do they explain cameras following these guys around to the employees?

 

[MarcB]

How do they explain cameras following these guys around to the employees?

They tell them they're being filmed for a documentary about entry level employment.

 

[Frank Ferreri]

Problem now is that employees are aware of the show and will realize that they are on "Undercover"

 

[FreddyE1977]

I once had a job where part of every employee's new hire orientation was to show them an
8 x 10 glossy photo of our CEO and make sure each of them knew who he was. (this arose
from an incident where he showed up once and a new employee in his second day on the job
did not recognize him, leading to an obscenity-laced tirade. Now THAT would've been good
television!)

 

[imhomerjay]

Some might know about it, but keeping some perspective about how many people are really watching a particular show or making a connection of this kind helps. We're talking about well over 2/3 of the country not watching the show (and that's for a successful show).

 

[recto101]

Well The problem here with this show is that We need more controversial CEO's to step up to do this show like the CEO's of Ford, GM and Toyota. Or the Investment banks and mortgage companies that ran with the Bailout money. We Need a CEO who has the Madoff type character or an Imelda Marcos type CEO to do this show and they should be forced to be "undercover" for 30 days.

 

[donnyg]

I saw the hooters episode, and there was sexual harrassment involved when the one manager made the wait staff play that stupid eating game. the manager was standing over one of the girl's shoulders staring down her tank top whle she was eating the beans. He should have been fired right there. Especially when he told the boss he would NOT change his management style, because his style worked. The look the boss gave him was priceless. If looks could kill, that dude was getting measured for a casket ;D

 

[imhomerjay]

Well The problem here with this show is that We need more controversial CEO's to step up to do this show like the CEO's of Ford, GM and Toyota. Or the Investment banks and mortgage companies that ran with the Bailout money. We Need a CEO who has the Madoff type character or an Imelda Marcos type CEO to do this show and they should be forced to be "undercover" for 30 days.

What "problem," exactly? The show has been doing well for CBS and is a logical companion to Amazing Race. There's no "problem" in need of solving.

 

[benwolf]

I can believe employees of these nationwide companies would have no idea what the CEO looks like. But c'mon!....with all the junk on TV right now, I'm surprised at people would try to put down a show that really has a positive message. Sure they aren't going after Haliburton, but every episode I've seen gives me a bit of hope that there are some decent bosses out there, and many dedicated employees.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Well The problem here with this show is that We need more controversial CEO's to step up to do this show like the CEO's of Ford, GM and Toyota. Or the Investment banks and mortgage companies that ran with the Bailout money. We Need a CEO who has the Madoff type character or an Imelda Marcos type CEO to do this show and they should be forced to be "undercover" for 30 days.

What "problem," exactly? The show has been doing well for CBS and is a logical companion to Amazing Race. There's no "problem" in need of solving.

The "problem" isn't with the show but with the companies. It's something the show could do but probably won't because right now it's working.

 

[jwk1979]

I've only seen the show once (this past Sunday, a repeat of the 7-11 CEO) and the only complaint I have with the show was that NOT ONE EMPLOYEE was DISGRUNTLED with his job or the COMPANY. How realistic is that? No matter what company or corporation you work for, you are going have a some employees that are DISGRUNTLED and DISGUSTTED with the company, no matter how good the company is to their employees. I have been in a number of 7-11 accross the country and I have had no trouble into my fair share of Bad, Rude and Disgruntled employees there. How were CBS and 7-11 able to find only employees that love the jobs at 7-11 and always go all out for the company?

 

[FreddyE1977]

I've only seen the show once (this past Sunday, a repeat of the 7-11 CEO) and the only complaint I have with the show was that NOT ONE EMPLOYEE was DISGRUNTLED with his job or the COMPANY. How realistic is that? No matter what company or corporation you work for, you are going have a some employees that are DISGRUNTLED and DISGUSTTED with the company, no matter how good the company is to their employees.

Bingo! You are 110% correct. A realistic show would come off looking much more like footage from a Michael Moore movie, as disgruntled employees assult their CEO's....hopefully only verbally. Or the CEO goes and locks himself in the bathroom. But you can't get advertisers to bite on a show like that.