Hats Off To Him

A few days ago I noticed an article on our internal we b page that criticized the way HR has been communication the reduction of our benefits and the actual reductions themselves. When I read the article, I immediately thought, "This guy has written what I have been feeling for weeks!" The quote that got me was this:

"...I wonder how much more can be squeezed out of us before the career becomes just a job — and the job is done just according to spec. If my pay and benefits are set by the industry benchmark, should the quantity and quality of the time I spend on the job also be industry-average?"

I took the time to send him an e-mail expressing my thanks to him for doing this . I figured that was the end of it. Boy was I surprised when I got this today after lunch:

"On the BCC: list are the 200+ people from all businesses and regions who wrote me notes over the past two days about the article. I am not “publishing” your names since I want to protect your right to privacy, but a big thank you to all who wrote. Some of your notes were quick thanks, some longer stories of how HR’s messaging and actions have impacted you and your teams, and a few were, sadly, “this is why I’m leaving” notes.

After years for either consulting with or working for large organizations, I was not surprised to hear from the majority of you that you thought writing the note was an act of “courage.” The right to free speech, unencumbered by the fear of retaliation, is an ideal and not a reality. However, my mother’s favorite quote about her son is that “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.”

Thanks again for your kind words. Keep the faith"

He also sent this message are some of the people he works with at Corporate Communications who have an interest in the article he wrote from a professional perspective.

On the CC: list were the people responsible for running the internal employee sounding off program.

He explains in the e-mail that the note "was written in September, and put in the queue for publication, after I read the August HR note announcing the change in the Layoff Compensation plan, not to be confused with the wonderfully timed Thanksgiving day note announcing more changes in the Layoff Compensation plan."

Amazing? I think so. Over 200 people wrote to him thanking him for speaking out is such a public way and on such a public forum. The other impressive thing is that corporate actually published it. Many companies would have hidden it some place and hoped it blew over.

I think that if this manifested into something that changed the path we are on we should be proud. One man speaks out, 200+ encourage, and history is made.