There are times in life when, instead of complaining, you do something about your complaints!

The frequently used statement  “People don’t leave jobs, they quit bosses” is often seen in today’s  social media posts, which makes one wonder, what goes through a boss’ mind upon seeing such a comment?

During Gambrinus’ hey days when Corona was on fire, many employees complained about the workload and the required correspondence with the brewery and wholesalers. Conversely, many employees enjoyed their time in the market for the simple fact that Gambrinus’ brands were on fire. Often employees were miserable until the annual bonuses were dispersed and only remained with the company until such time, typically at the end of the first quarter.  Once the bonuses were dispersed, the mass exodus began.

During the years that the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Co. was nipping at AB’s heals, Schlitz’s employee turnover was said to have been up to 70%. While it is difficult to quantify, it is safe to say that this loss and subsequent turnover of talent at Schlitz had to have a negative effect, resulting in the demise of the brand.

On the other hand, employees of the Mark Anthony Company are currently in the mist of one of the most incredible rides the industry has ever experienced. White Claw’s growth is remarkable. How does a company establish annual goals and bonuses when the growth is north of triple digits? One wonders what those numbers would look like if the White Claw production could be maintained. Tactical spending against While Claw would only be throwing gas on a roaring fire. Do the younger employees of Mark Anthony realize just how good it is for them?

Employees working for struggling companies express a completely different complaint. They know that their annual bonuses will not be paid, and they know that if their major brand is declining when the bonus goals are delivered, the internal pressure for management can be difficult. This despite the fact that in many cases, the brand’s decline started in the first place as a result of poor brand management.

Once again, AB announced another round of reorganizations, simply one of many, this time of their field sales teams. With the continued decline of Bud Light, at both the AB wholesalers’ and breweries’ level, pressure continues to mount. AB employees must be very thankful for Michelob Ultra. When Ultra growth slows or flattens, employees’ complaints will most definitely increase.

It seems a week does not go by without news of another craft brewery closing. Some of have been in business for three to five years. Many of the employees started with the craft, many of whom worked for free simply to get in the door. They put their heart and soul into a brewery only to see their dreams fail. One knows the complaints of these employees!

Employers and bosses need to be available to their employees and aware of their complaints, but employees also need to be aware of their environment.

There are times in life when, instead of complaining, you do something about your complaints.