'Undercover Boss Canada' challenge? Staying mum

By Lauren La Rose, The Canadian Press, thecanadianpress.com, Updated: August-31-12

Home Hardware executive vice-president and chief operating officer Terry Davis (front) is seen working undercover with a Home Hardware employee in an episode of "Undercover Boss Canada" in this undated handout photo. New episodes of the series begin Thursday, Sept. 6 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on W Network. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - W Network

TORONTO - It's a problem that strikes at the heart of what makes "Undercover Boss Canada" a success: ensuring executives on a mission to infiltrate their company's front lines can do so in secret.

After all, the U.S. version and subsequent launch of a homegrown spinoff has brought widespread awareness of the series.

In some instances, there are workers who suspect they may, in fact, be on the series ? and then end up dismissing the idea as unlikely, said executive producer Thomas Howe.

"Most people think, 'Sure, yeah, maybe in the States or something ? but not here. Not where I am. Not in my job,'" he said. "That is a central issue of course for us. So it's a tough one."

"Undercover Boss Canada" returns with 10 new episodes airing Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on W Network. The Sept. 6 season premiere will feature Terry Davis, executive vice-president and chief operating officer of Home Hardware.

While wearing a disguise and trying his hand at various jobs within the home improvement company, Davis engages with several of the company's workers.

In the process of discovering new ways to make Home Hardware work more efficiently, he learns firsthand of the heart-tugging personal stories and struggles faced by the employees he encounters.

"The interaction between the CEO when they're undercover and the employees is never faked. It's always genuine," said Howe. "But what we do do is we get to know the people we're working with ? both at the CEO level and the extraordinary employee level ? and we really look for those compelling characters.

"Because we have an idea of who our CEO is, that these (employees are) people we predict they'll have an impact on. And generally speaking, they're pretty good at that."

Other companies set to be featured this season include: Canlan Ice Sports Corp, Purdy's Chocolates, Cooke Aquaculture, Victorian Order of Nurses, East Side Mario's, Premiere Van Lines, PJ's Pets and Pets Unlimited, T&T Supermarket Inc. and Tervita Corporation.

Howe said their aim is to be national in scope and to feature head offices from a diverse roster of industries across the country. While it's still mainly the production team that researches and targets companies, they've also received inquiries from organizations wanting to take part.

"It's a lot of work, it's a lot of calls, and sometimes, companies just don't want to do it. Sometimes the CEOs are personally quite shy and they don't want to do it," Howe said. "It is a job convincing them ? and also to take the time off to do it properly."

In addition to implementing changes to help improve workplaces, undercover bosses typically bestow a bonus of some kind in recognition of employees featured in their episodes, be it financial assistance or some other reward.

Howe said they're very diligent in ensuring employees receive what they are promised and they remain in contact with them. He said they've given thought to a "Where are they now?" episode to catch up with select individuals previously featured on the series.

Sometimes the executives embarking on the project worry about the impact such gestures may have on the broader workforce, noted Howe. But if there are any feelings of residual anger, bitterness or disappointment among fellow workers, they haven't seen those surface.

"We thought we might see some social media (reactions) saying: `Well, it's great for them. What about me? I'm working harder than that person, or I'm certainly working as hard.' And yet, we don't see that," said Howe.

"We really don't see any sour grapes about somebody else getting a break. In fact, it's the opposite. The employees seem to really love the fact that people who do jobs just like them got recognized for what they do and got a break."

Source: http://entertainment.ca.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?cp-documentid=253533104

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