10 ms·

If you took the entire content of your mailbox, any files shares/onedrive/etc and the all the slack channels you could access and dumped that all online, I imag

by entuno 3y ago

If you took the entire content of your mailbox, any files shares/onedrive/etc and the all the slack channels you could access and dumped that all online, I imagine that would still do a fair bit of damage to your company. And even if there's nothing overly sensitive or embarrassing in what you post, the fact that you were able to makes the company look incompetent and insecure. Or you could be more destructive - think how many companies get hit with ransomware and how much that costs them. You don't even need to be technical to do most of it - just "fall" for obvious phishing emails, download dodgy software, etc. Or (assuming you have a physical office), you could break things, steal from the company, plant bugs or remote access devices, etc. Hell, even if the best case where you don't do anything actively malicious, if you know you're getting fired in a week then you're not going to put in much effort or do have any incentive to try and do a good job in your last few days. They have nothing to gain and potentially a lot to lose by letting people know they're being fired, so it's not really a surprise that most companies act that way.

wakmak99 3y ago
Ok, I am going on a tangent but then I'm surprised why many companies use Performance Improvement Plans when that can expose themselves to such risks. I know PIPs aren't always about immediate terminations, but often they end up leading to terminations, and employees usually sense it coming
- entuno 3y ago
  Unless they're downsizing, companies don't generally want to fire people, because it's expensive to replace them, and it wastes all the time and effort spent training them. If an employee isn't performing well, it's in everyone's interest to address that issue, rather than just firing them and then trying to find and train a replacement. And if you live somewhere that had decent employment rights, companies are often required to do a PIP (or something similar) and to demonstrate that they've taken reasonable steps to try and resolve the issue before they resort to firing.
  - wakmak99 3y ago
    helpful. Based on my cursory research I've learned that in California employers can fire an employee for any lawful reason or no reason at all. They don't have to show cause or give any warnings or multiple chances
    - sokoloff 3y ago
      This is true for most employers in the US. Nevertheless, most employers would rather help an employee (especially one whose situation is temporary) to succeed, because hiring and onboarding is way more effort than getting a previously good employee back to where they can perform well again. But, once a point of no return has definitively been reached, I think it’s best for both sides to not drag out the separation with a checkbox PIP or other theatrics. Pay the employee a reasonable severance and separate quickly. (I’ve seen genuine PIPs succeed and result in long-term continued employment; theatrical, check-the-box for legal/HR PIPs are cruel and wasteful.)

by entuno 3y ago

wakmak99 3y ago

Ok, I am going on a tangent but then I'm surprised why many companies use Performance Improvement Plans when that can expose themselves to such risks. I know PIPs aren't always about immediate terminations, but often they end up leading to terminations, and employees usually sense it coming

entuno 3y ago
Unless they're downsizing, companies don't generally want to fire people, because it's expensive to replace them, and it wastes all the time and effort spent training them. If an employee isn't performing well, it's in everyone's interest to address that issue, rather than just firing them and then trying to find and train a replacement. And if you live somewhere that had decent employment rights, companies are often required to do a PIP (or something similar) and to demonstrate that they've taken reasonable steps to try and resolve the issue before they resort to firing.
- wakmak99 3y ago
  helpful. Based on my cursory research I've learned that in California employers can fire an employee for any lawful reason or no reason at all. They don't have to show cause or give any warnings or multiple chances
  - sokoloff 3y ago
    This is true for most employers in the US. Nevertheless, most employers would rather help an employee (especially one whose situation is temporary) to succeed, because hiring and onboarding is way more effort than getting a previously good employee back to where they can perform well again. But, once a point of no return has definitively been reached, I think it’s best for both sides to not drag out the separation with a checkbox PIP or other theatrics. Pay the employee a reasonable severance and separate quickly. (I’ve seen genuine PIPs succeed and result in long-term continued employment; theatrical, check-the-box for legal/HR PIPs are cruel and wasteful.)