Think of HR as Your Spouse’s Divorce Attorney-A Case Study
Original Post: April 11, 2014
Updated: April 15, 2016
From: Evil HR Lady
While I fundamentally agree that texting was not the best solution, the:
“Sometimes bosses are jerks, but they are still bosses. And if you don’t want to be written up, or given a bad reference you have to play nice,” is part of the problem in business today.
This site views those as they relate to work in one of two categories: Abusive and Non-Abusive all other adjectives are just subcategories to the main.
Obviously, there’s more to these stories we don’t have, but 99,000 employees filed EEOC claims in 2012 citing retaliation as the number one claim. It’s not a trend, it’s entrenched in business today and why employees need to think of HR as their spouse’s divorce attorney. HR is not there for the employee, they are there to protect management and the company. Think of your career in terms of a relationship. We put up with a lot more at work than we do in relationships. Do not be manipulated by HR.
Let’s break down: Sometimes bosses are jerks, but they are still bosses. And if you don’t want to be written up, or given a bad reference you have to play nice.”
Management and HR :
-Manipulated and did not recognize the rights of employees
(The overall attitude towards employees is very disrespectful, we don’t know if this happened within the same company or same manager but if that’s the case signs point to management is the problem).
-Were irresponsible towards employees
(HR sided with management and did not defend the employee (from what we could tell)
-Created hopelessness in the employee
(The text responses were fear from retaliation which has already been demonstrated is possible “play nice”)
-Created an unhappy work environment for employees
(Clearly the employees were unhappy)
-Rarely challenged at work
(Bosses can be jerks but they’re still bosses)
-Motivation employee’s through fear
(Play nice (even if what’s happening to you is illegal, especially if it’s illegal,) or run the risk of bad reference which I’m not an attorney but I think is illegal).
When in doubt consult an attorney even when you’re still with the company. Remember to document everything as it’s happening. Employees need to protect their rights and if you’re looking to HR to protect yours, then there will be disappointment.
