Pros
Globally recognized brand. Salaries paid on time.
Kontras
I want to bring several serious issues to the attention of 3M's international leadership, as local management in Wrocław either does not see these problems or actively ignores them. 1. NO MACHINE OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS On my first day, I asked the line manager, Edyta Franieczek, whether operating instructions existed for the machines, including a new machine that was idle but generating a lot of activity. The next day, the first operator, Monika Litwin, spent the entire shift yelling at me across the production floor — as if I had committed some offense. The truth was simple: no instructions existed. She briefly handed me a piece of paper, then took it back, promising to return it the next day. She never did. This aggressive reaction also prevented me from raising my real question: whether existing procedures could be used as a basis for process automation using AI tools — something the entire industry is moving toward. Instead of exploring innovation, the environment punishes curiosity. I eventually created the only written operating instruction that exists on that production floor. It currently sits in the desk at Machine A11 (Peltor). 2. ZERO TRAINING ON MES/SAP REPORTING I requested at least one hour and one knowledgeable person to learn the MES and SAP production reporting requirements. The line manager refused both. I had to figure out the entire reporting workflow together with fellow operators on our own. 3. ERGONOMIC HAZARDS IGNORED I discovered that footrests at operator stations were positioned backwards — with the elevated side facing away from the operator instead of toward them. This not only violates basic ergonomic principles but creates additional physical strain during long shifts. I prepared documentation on this issue, including references to occupational health regulations and the potential for worker compensation claims. The line manager explicitly refused to correct the positioning or inform workers, stating she "would not tell anyone the footrests should stand correctly." 4. DISMISSAL OF A 15-YEAR EMPLOYEE A colleague, Bogumiła, who had worked at 3M for 15 years, was dismissed for attempting to raise a question about the rationale for wearing hard hats in departments where they are not standard. Firing a long-tenured employee for asking a legitimate safety question sends a clear message to the rest of the workforce: do not ask questions. For context: the line manager responsible for these decisions, Edyta Franieczek, holds no formal education or management qualifications. 5. MANAGEMENT STYLE: MANUFACTURED TENSION From my first day on Shift B, the atmosphere among workers was so oppressive that after several months, while on Shift C, I told the line manager directly that the interpersonal dynamics reminded me of the 1979 film "Norma Rae." There was no visible reaction — except that shortly afterward, I was transferred from Shift C to Shift A for two months, and then dismissed. There are no open conflicts, but the management strategy creates constant, purposeless tension that keeps workers anxious and compliant. 6. FIRSTUP APP — A SERIOUS IT AND SECURITY ISSUE When I asked the line manager for WiFi credentials and help configuring the corporate Firstup app (used for checking the cafeteria menu and company communications), she responded: "I don't have any of that myself, so no, no, no — nobody has anything and it cannot exist." I attempted to configure Firstup on my own and discovered a critical technical problem that 3M's IT infrastructure team should be aware of: The Firstup app requires Microsoft SSO authentication with MFA (multi-factor authentication) via Microsoft Authenticator. On Android devices (tested on Xiaomi), when the system redirects the user from Firstup to Microsoft Authenticator for identity verification, the Firstup app loses its session entirely. Upon returning to Firstup, the user is forced to start the login process from scratch. This creates an infinite loop: login → MFA request → switch to Authenticator → return to Firstup → session lost → login again. Using a one-time TOTP code instead of push notification requires the same app switch — with the same result. Even more concerning: attempting to register Microsoft Authenticator directly on a Windows 10 PC with a local user account can trigger Windows Hello activation. After a system restart, Windows may demand a password that was never set, while providing no option to select the local user account. The result is COMPLETE LOCKOUT from the personal computer. Recovery requires either a system reset or linking to a Microsoft online account — meaning employees risk losing access to their own personal devices simply by trying to use a corporate app that their employer mandates but provides zero support for. 3M provides no IT support to production floor workers for any of these issues. Line management is either unaware of or indifferent to the problem.