What are the best reactions to a company's bad behavior?

manpreet Best Answer 2 years ago

It doesn't seem right for a company to lie to employees, or misrepresent the truth within the organization.

Example:

Promising an employee that her job is safe, telling she is highly valued by the company and has strong opportunities for progression, just in order to squeeze out the most out of her before making her redundant. In general, intentionally deceiving someone for the company's own gain.

Is there any kind of protection against this kind of situation (apart from being prepared for a new job search). What are the best reactions to such kinds of unethical behaviors? For example, would it be a good idea to expose it to the public, be a whistleblower to media/newspapers/write about it? Why or why not?

I have seen it happening a few times and think it might happen to me.

manpreet 2 years ago

There is not as much to expose as you think there is. You are too close to the situation to see it in a detached way. "Whistleblowing" is all about companies doing illegal and/or dangerous things; this is about the simple art of deception, which many people feel is part of being a manager.

The press is not going to be interested. Even your co-workers in other departments aren't going to pay attention to it. They will all assume that it's just "sour grapes" for you, and part of being in the business world.

The reality, anyway, is that it's all about who you're listening to, who is making the statements you suggest were made. That's not the "company", it's individual managers who clearly can't be trusted. But you don't even know what pressures those manager were under to cut the people they cut; all you do know, at this point, is that they said they were sure that certain people would be retained who were not, in fact, retained. You don't even know for sure whether they believed themselves what they said at that point.

For your own sake, just let it go and start looking for another job. No job is safe at that company, from what you describe; even your boss's boss may end up being replaced in such times. Get your mind off it and get your life away from there, because clearly anyone could be let go, and if the company is possibly on the verge of shutdown, it's going to be one of those that doesn't say so, that you'll find out on the day you come to work and all the doors are locked.