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This kind of behavior (promoted by HR/Legal) needs to stop. Period. It is not about firing people by conference, phone or whatever. It is about the thanklessne
by codegeek 13y ago
This kind of behavior (promoted by HR/Legal) needs to stop. Period.
It is not about firing people by conference, phone or whatever. It is about the thanklessness and the attitude that sucks. Does it really hurt to genuinely feel and say "sorry we cannot keep you any longer. Hope you understand". No one is going to sit and whine about being laid-off but the manner of layoffs (in america at least) is getting shameful, appalling and disgusting.
However, not shocking at all. Companies have too become risk/lawsuit averse when it comes to firing/lay-offs that they all have scripted things to say because they don't want to risk a potential lawsuit. My friend was laid-off by my ex-boss (I referred him and left). I know that my ex-boss was a really nice guy who would at least apologize. During the lay-off, all my friend got was "Your position has been eliminated. Please do not use any company device and leave immediately. We will ship your stuff to you". He was even told not to talk to any co-worker while leaving. Poor guy was so heartbroken that he could not even say bye to people he worked with. You know what he was not sad about ? Finding another job.
May be I am overreacting but this is when Capitalism starts to bite. I am all in for profits, competitions, fierce business but if I ever have to layoff someone specially for no fault of theirs, you bet I will say sorry in person.It may not mean much but it is called "being human".
- ScottWhigham 13y agoCompanies have become risk/lawsuit averse when it comes to firing/lay-offs that they all have scripted things to say because they don't want to risk a potential lawsuit. Absolutely. Every time I've had to let someone go, the first person I call is my HR person. They walk me through the dos and don'ts which always include, "Don't say this and don't say that otherwise they could use that either in a wrongful termination lawsuit or in filing for workman's comp."
- Tehnix 13y ago>May be I am overreacting but this is when Capitalism starts to bite what on earth does harsh layoffs have to do with capitalism?
- gaius 13y agoBecause in socialism you go on pretending to work and they go on pretending to pay you.
- protomyth 13y agoIts not Capitalism, its Lawyerism. The sad fact that you can get sued for being something other than a robot is horrible. The HR / Lawyer part of our economy is one heck of an anchor compared to the legitimate wrongful termination and employment discrimination.
- 001sky 13y agoWhat's crazy is that the US is an "at will" employment law. Which means you can get fired (or quit) for any trivial reason at all what so ever (the meaning of 'at will'). The only people with legal recourse are protected classes (ie, minorities). But it would be both improbable and abusive if mass-lafoffs were only legal fodder in this context. Who the heck else is suing and for what? Or is it just the threat of lawsuits (bad pr) and no-fee lawyers (1/3 ransom) that facilitates this as some sort of "greenmail"? What an odd system!
- protomyth 13y ago> What's crazy is that the US is an "at will" employment law. I live in an "at will" state and it hasn't been a problem. I believe in freedom of association.
- TheCoelacanth 13y agoThe crazy part is that it's virtually impossible to successfully sue for wrongful termination, but companies still go to extreme lengths to cover their asses.
- erichurkman 13y agoI can see going to heavy lengths at certain company sizes, like Wal-Mart. A flaw in your HR policy at that scale can escalate to a class action or large case that district attorneys lust after. Wal-Mart, for instance, has paid out hundreds of millions in legal suits stemming from HR practices in the last decade alone.
- sneak 13y ago
- clockworkelf 13y agoIt's not Capitalism, it's Technocracy.