Global recession is no more a speculation – but is staring us right on our face. We have entered the worst-in-history kind of era with disastrous events popping up periodically. We have just seen investment banks collapse ( some turning into much lesser mortals), stock prices plunge,ashen-faced government officials doling out bailout packages and so on. What probably worries the common man is his job-security – for, everything else that governs his life is closely tied to it – Lifestyle to loan servicing.
Needless to say, pink slips are the dreadful duo of words. But then, what is the way out for a corporation in economically tough times? While I do not refute the logic behind the lay-offs ( capitalism hurts now!), I am wary of companies botching it up big-time. For, it speaks volumes about their “real-self”(Who says what media and PR agencies says is always right?)
The employer in discussion is a world renowned banking corporation – rated high for its HR practices in the industry. As usual, the employees were promised moon while they joined, and were requested to cooperate during the loss-making time, cajoled to work harder during the times of high work-load… but…but…were treated like contracted laborers while they were to be shown the door. The letter of termination sums up the attitude of this “World’s local bank” towards its employees – and mind you, we are asked by the media to look up to them for HR practices.
The letter went something like this ” We refer to so and so clause in your appointment letters whereby we could terminate the relationship with one month notice or paying the equal amount of money blah..blah… we regret to inform you that we are invoking that clause and are terminating your services. Please comply with the following formalities…”
How inhuman one can get! I am yet to come across an employee who does not take the relationship withe his workplace seriously. I am yet to see some one who is unwilling to empathize with the business realities when communicated properly. And, I am absolutely aghast by the way this company terminated – curt and rude, lacking an iota of sensitivity towards the employees. Worst, neither the so-called termination letter nor the discussion with the so-called “senior managers” sent the message across that the employees they were indeed valuable, but the business realities forced the organization to do the hardest thing.
I am of the firm opinion that employee-employer relationships go far beyond the legal ambit and appointment contracts. Every corporation / organization MUST acknowledge the fact that they owe their existence to the innumerable valuable contributions made by PEOPLE that worked hard, silently behind the screens – probably sacrificing their personal lives to a great extent. If an organization believes that all the wealth created was due to its process/product excellence, it is thoroughly mistaken. After all, “Men (mankind) are more valuable than all the wealth of the world” because its them who create the wealth.
One can sure, invoke legal contracts – does that need to stop you from being a human? If organization is merely an entity, why talk of motivation, relationships etc in the workplace?
If anyone thinks otherwise, read what Jerry Yang had to say to his colleagues at Yahoo:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Youll_be_missed_Yang_to_sacked_staff/rssarticleshow/3824155.cms
Do you still believe in businesses being “entities” ?