Employees Say “Treat Me Bad, I’m Gone”
Posted by Mitch Mitchell on Jul 6, 2009
Earlier today, I was reading a MSNBC news story saying how more and more, employees are leaving jobs without giving notice, and without following through on signed commitments such as non-compete and confidentiality clauses. Many of them aren't worried either, saying employers violated the contracts first by cutting pay, reducing benefits, and many other things, as well as knowing that employers would cut them without a moment's notice, as many companies have been laying off thousands of people.
I fully understand this, although, because of my upbringing, I don't quite know that I could do it. I've said for years that if you do or say anything, you may have the right to do it, but you have to be ready to accept the consequences for your actions. This means everyone, including employers, who have been sticking it to their employees for, well, pretty much forever.
Employers can't continue to expect loyalty without giving any. Sure, businesses have downturns, and sometimes there are things that happen that are out of your control. Still, every business knows whether they're doing well or doing badly, and they should always be keeping their employees in the loop. That's where the overall breakdown comes from. There's not a single employee who would blame an employer for layoffs if that employer had been honest with them all along, let them know there might be problems, and what the solutions might be. Sure, some employees might decide to start looking elsewhere, but that's still better than how it works now.
At least that's how I see it; what say you?
I’m shocked when I hear that employers are not doing the right thing by their employees as without employees they pretty well do not have a business. I am also shocked when employees continue to screw their employers, because without employers they do not have a job.
It amazes me how some union members believe that just because a particular company did well in any given year that their members should all receive more pay. What happens when they have a bad year, are they able to reduce their pay. Not likely.
I believe in fair pay for whatever work is being performed. As long as that is the case what concern is it of the unions what profit a company makes?
.-= Sire´s last blog ..Get Your Twittley Action Into Gear And Watch Your Post Rock =-.
Hey Sire,
Unions do what they do because that’s their job. As long as you, the employer, knows that, then they’re relatively easy to deal with.
As for the other, there are always bad employees, just as there are bad employers, but some bad employers can make some employees, well, not bad, but not want to give any respect to the employer for their actions. People want to be treated fairly, and, with all the layoffs we’ve seen in this tough economy, one can bet that not everyone has been treated well.
Mitch,
I can totally understand what you are saying. There would not nearly be as many stories about workplace sabotage and sour departures from the masses that have been laid off. The reality is that employers should be forth coming in the performance of the company. Did we make money this month? Or last month? A simple question that is never openly discussed. It’s hard to fix problems you are not aware of and an open dialouge is necessary to collectively come to a resolution. At least have some closure on a decision to let someone go because the fact of the matter is that HR and mgt know ahead of time, even weeks in advance that a person will be terminated. People have lost a lot of trust of the financial system, employers, etc. I hope that this will not be an issue for the next generation to come.
Thanks for your thoughtful comments, Monique, although I think it will most definitely be an issue for the next generation. One reason I talk so much about leadership and management is because, even today, there’s so much of it that’s just bad, and those bad leaders pass on bad habits to up and coming bad leaders. There really needs to be more training; in this economy, however, that’s just not going to happen.
Hey Mitch,
“I think it will most definitely be an issue for the next generation” — I agree. Certain professional etiquette may be lost as time goes on.
But your best points were all about honesty. Employees have every right to find a new job if they think it could better them, and I believe most employers understand that. But for employers it should be about honesty, for employees it should be about integrity.
What does it say for someone who walks out on a job? The two weeks notice is not only common courtesy, it prevents employees from burning their bridges. Don’t these people want references?
A perfect marriage is an employer who respects and values their employees, and employees who give everything they have for their company.
Nice post,
Tim
Thanks Tim. However, I will say this; people tend to get back what they put out, and in this case, employees are turning the screws back on employers who don’t treat them properly. Not sure if you remember this post of mine, but I really believe my last paragraph pretty much sums up my feelings on how these things sometimes play out. It’s not good, and the truth is that an employer can actually release you on the spot and not accept your two weeks also. If other employees see that, why would they bother trying it themselves? That’s what I mean.