3 ms·

Bill Gates had a non contentious relationship with employees. The key is to only create white collar jobs.

• toyg 6y ago
  Not quite. Larry Ellison created white-collar jobs, but still the Oracle workforce unionized and mobilized in several EU countries. White-collars are traditionally less likely to fight only because they tend to enjoy better mobility and have better incentives to stay silent (even if they don't maximize their earning potential, their social standing typically compensates). If you mistreat them enough, they will react like anyone else.
  • posix_me_less 6y ago
    Is there any reporting on how Oracle mistreated its employees? Can the unionization be taken as proof that they did get too far?
    • toyg 6y ago
      If i remember correctly, it was a reaction to rounds of layoffs-by-spreadsheet.
  • ponker 6y ago
    Of course you can create white collar jobs and have your employees hate you. My claim was only that it's impossible to have your employees NOT hate you if you are the richest man in the world and they're doing blue collar labor for you. If you create only jobs where people are earning six figures in front of a desk and living comfortable lives, they might envy but don't begrudge you $100 billion. But if you're asking someone to do tough physical labor for $15 or $20 an hour while you make a billion dollars a day or whatever, no way they won't try to knock you off that pedestal.