Gibson Guitar CEO Gets ENRAGED If Someone Asks For a Day Off.

[themike]

So I know we typically dont talk about other brands on here but I feel like if the article is something that will make us appreciate Pauls empire a little more, why not!

I have edited the photo to remove the offensive content.
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Gibson Guitar CEO Gets ENRAGED If Someone Asks For a Day Off

"Gibson is not just a great American guitar company; it is also a hard to place to work, run by a CEO notorious for micromanagement and general bad temper. Would you like a day off for the holidays? "NO."

Gibson's CEO is Henry Juszkiewicz (pictured, with Slash), who became something of a right-wing darling a few years back after he managed to insinuate that a federal raid on his company for illegally importing Indian hardwood was motivated by his own political beliefs, rather than, you know, his company's importation of Indian Hardwood. Over the years, rumors of Juszkiewicz's unpleasantness as a boss have occasionally come our way. The website Glassdoor, where workers can anonymously write reviews of their employers, is full of Gibson employees railing about the company's "poor ownership," micromanagement from the top, and gripes about senior management, and the CEO in particular. "They actually get a thrill from firing people, they actually want you to fail, I have never seen anything like it," goes one representative example. Says another: "all of this stems from the CEO and his manic psychotic neurotic management style (he has to sign off on EVERYTHING: new hires, transfers within the company, promotions, raises, budgets, any funding for new parts or machines."

Today, we were forwarded this email sent by Henry Juszkiewicz late last month, replying to an employee who had requested a day off around Thanksgiving. We're told that something like 20 people were CC'd on this email chain. Does Gibson really have a "manic psychotic" CEO? You decide."

Subject: RE: Personal Day-Thanksgiving Approval requested

NO

I do not allow leaders to be absent the days before and after a holiday. I had asked Tom to make it clear, but apparently people have not understood or the communication was not clear.

You cannot take long weekends or long holidays unless there are special circumstances. You are leaders and these are work days. During work our leaders need to be there doing their jobs. Taking time off when other people cannot do so or causing insufficient staff during working periods shows a lack of responsibility and consideration for all that depend on our business to be there for them.

Henceforth vacations must be taken for a minimum of one week and must be scheduled well in advance. I will expect a vacation calendar from my direct reports for an entire year.

I will turn down all requests for long weekends and for periods of less than 5 contiguous days without special circumstances.

I also do not believe it is appropriate for a request of this kind is to be shared with others. This suggests where you are coming from [employee name]. I also do not appreciate being lied to about being ill so you can game the system to get what you want [employee name]. As soon as I return from my travels, I will schedule a private conversation about this.

I have counted on the personal integrity of people working with me and have refrained from putting in place a rigorous oversight system. I have asked our HR department to oversee this activity on a spot basis which they have not followed through on. The result is I am seeing a continued decline in decorum, a deterioration in discipline in terms of appropriate attire, coming and going on time and other issues that do not belong in a professional situation with executives that are supposed to be examples of appropriate behavior.

It is not alright to leave early Friday afternoon or arrive late on Monday morning. It is not alright to take extended lunches. The list of unprofessional behavior goes on.

We will be implementing HR policies that were developed at Philips and we have appointed [person] as our global head of Human Resources. These new policies will be promulgated throughout our group of companies and these will be enforced strongly. I will take the time to review these new policies with the people that report to me directly.

I will schedule a private meeting with you [employee name].

Henry

Henry E. Juszkiewicz

CEO – Gibson Brands, Inc.

 

[QueenCityGuitars]

I wonder if Henry realized his email could be promulgated on the internet. :dontknow:

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I have edited the photo to remove the offensive content.

HA! Good one. :hello:

That being said... I kinda gotta side with Henry here, it sounds like old boy wants a day off he knows he can't have 'cause he's a supervisor, and he's tryin' to publicly shame his way into getting Friday off. I've had plenty of jobs (and will again, I'm sure) that required advanced requests for time off and knowing that there were some days everyone was required to work; like X-mas, Thanksgiving, 4th of July, etc.

You think Paul or Jack accepts requests for a day off around the end of September?

 

[Shawn@PRS]

I love that Minecraft guitar!

 

[gush]

I love that Minecraft guitar!

Nice going Shawn, now we will see adds for the minecraft Les Paul next year!

 

[AP515]

The letter sounds more like an Urban Mith than a real letter. I'm calling BS.

 

[gball]

Nice going Shawn, now we will see adds for the minecraft Les Paul next year!

But it will at least be replete with "advances" such as G-Force (have you guys tried that thing yet? It is an abominiation)

 

[drjenkins]

I worked for Gibson when I lived up in Nashville back in the mid 90's. Yeah, only for two months though. Was a dream for me to be able to be part of a legendary guitar company at very first , but that sheen wore off quickly. Long hours, insane daily quotas, wanting you to drive in hazardous conditions to get to work. No thanks...

 

[sleary]

The letter should prompt shareholders to get rid of him. Very unprofessional and poorly worded. Sounds more like a dictator than anything.

 

[László]

There's a way to handle this sort of thing, and a way not to handle it. This is a good demonstration of how not to do it.

 

[Duffy]

I am not a fan of Gibson's CEO or its management and marketing scheme. I like some of the guitars, but Gibson seems like it is a shady operation. When they first started mass producing "chambered" guitars I don't think they were exactly transparent about communicating that important fact. LP's had traditionally been thought of a solid body guitars. It seems like only after the word was generally out that they started including the chambered designation in their product descriptions. Then came the illegally imported hardwood scheme. The Feds nailed them twice so far with that. Instead of being grateful that he got out of those legal actions with a settlement, he (HJ) was openly belligerent about the whole thing. The company seems to have a general shadiness surrounding it that turns some people off. This further reinforces that impression.

I have to wonder how loyal and dedicated to doing a good job the employees are at the Gibson factories. No wonder quality control is so bad.

 

[sleary]

2015 will see a 29% price increase, lower end models gone and everything will have etune......if that's not listening to what the customer wants then I'm not sure what is ......

 

[Drew]

This isn't the whole story. Henry responded to this. Apparently this employee has a track record.

"The headline does not truthfully reflect the email which was in the body of the article. That email was accurate but does not reflect the context of the situation.

Our company offers generous vacation and sick days. Our concern is that these days are scheduled respecting what is happening at the company and the people that might be impacted.

This executive had previously requested a day that I felt would potentially be disruptive and that request was denied by myself. That executive then emailed me that they were sick and they were absent on the day that had been denied. When asked for some proof of illness, they admitted they were not sick and had misled me.

This executive has used the generous vacation policy to take a great many Mondays, Fridays and days before and after holidays off working consistent short weeks leaving the employees that work for them without leadership and showing insensitivity for the people that work for them and come in to work.

The people copied on this email were top executives and this was only addressed to our top company leadership. This unnamed executive never asked to discuss our policy, my concerns or had made any attempt to communicate with me. It was clearly inappropriate to copy 20 other executives when they request a day off. This clearly send a message of an agenda on their part.

Henry"

 

[László]

He may have been in the right, however the issue was handled in an unprofessional and amateurish way. Henry should simply have let his HR people handle the problem.

As for Gibson guitars, this episode doesn't affect how I feel about them. They're great guitars. But I prefer PRS.

 

[markie]

Unfortunately, There are always people who will try to game the system. No matter what the policies are or what the system pertains to.


I am not a fan of HJ, nor do I have any way of knowing all the facts about this particular instance. Makes it a little difficult to for me to pass judgment...........

 

[Drew]

He may have been in the right, however the issue was handled in an unprofessional and amateurish way. Henry should simply have let his HR people handle the problem.

As for Gibson guitars, this episode doesn't affect how I feel about them. They're great guitars. But I prefer PRS.

The employee in question is an "executive". I think, at that point, Henry J is the HR. Personally, I would have canned said executive. Taking a sick day on a day when you were denied a vaca day is grounds for dismissal in my book. I would never stand for that. I don't really like a lot of things Henry J stands for. However, he demands solid work ethic and that is something I can stand behind.

 

[Whitecat]

That article and this thread seem unnecessary...

The "us vs them" mentality with brand aficionados has ruined many another forum. No need to bring it here. Let's talk about PRS and everyone-else-be-damned.

 

[wardog]

That article and this thread seem unnecessary...

The "us vs them" mentality with brand aficionados has ruined many another forum. No need to bring it here. Let's talk about PRS and everyone-else-be-damned.

+1

 

[alantig]

This executive has used the generous vacation policy to take a great many Mondays, Fridays and days before and after holidays off working consistent short weeks leaving the employees that work for them without leadership and showing insensitivity for the people that work for them and come in to work.

It's one thing to have policies for this kind of stuff, but it's something else entirely when they're nonsensical. So, the people there can't function well if their manager is working a short week, but if he/she is out for a whole week, that's better? Tons of people will take a vacation day around a holiday to make a longer week.

And 40% of the days people take off are Mondays and Fridays - I read that in Dilbert.

 

[prsrocker1988]

I'm going to try not to make this about PRS vs Gibson, but let me just say I've never cared for Henry J as a businessman, and I am a long time lover of the Gibson brand of guitars, especially those made back in the 50s and 60s and I love Les Pauls, SGs, 335s, etc.

But no thank you to their modern offerings. I love Gibson, I do, but not in their current form. I firmly believe PRS is making the best guitars of our time right now and that they are putting out the best stuff out of anyone big or small.