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AIBU?

To expect my firm not to inform us of wide-ranging management decisions via the press?

10 replies

PossiblyManaged · 22/07/2015 20:37

NC because this may make me very identifyable indeed. At least you'll be able to tell who I work for ...

So apparently my firm has decided to completely re-vamp our performance management and appraisal process. I say 'apparently' because I along with everyone else who's not boardroom level learned this out of the press today.

I personally think that I may actually welcome the changes (except that I don't have any details on them except what I read in the business press).

That having been said: my firm is huge, I'm based at a client site and the clients read papers, too. And ask about what they read. Which is how me, my boss and his boss came to learn of the development in the first place. Needless to say none of us knew exactly what to say. We don't usually learn that our promotions process is about to change from the client after all ...

Emails have been going round all day repeating rumours that the CEO's office was about to release a statement. So far nada!

AIBU to expect my firm to inform employees of changes to how they're managed first or to at least manage to get some kind of a bloody memo out within a few hours if they happen to forget?

Seriously, firm?

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FryOneFatManic · 22/07/2015 20:43

At the very least, your firm should have been giving their staff good/comprehensive information at the same time as releasing it to the press, but preferably beforehand.

It's not been handled very professionally, has it?

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PossiblyManaged · 22/07/2015 20:44

... oh, and it seems the changes come into force in just over a month's time.

And I have no clue what to tell my team since my higher ups are as clueless as me ...

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PossiblyManaged · 22/07/2015 20:45

Nope! Not well handled at all. Ironic, considering what we actually do ... Pfffft!

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noblegiraffe · 22/07/2015 20:47

Same with teaching, I've learned about massive changes to my job from the news. You feel like an idiot when people say 'so what's going on with X then?' and you don't have a clue.

A company should treat its staff better.

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NiceBitOfCheese · 22/07/2015 20:53

Haven't seen the article, so I don't have any idea which company you mean, but if your company is quoted on the stock market and the news could affect the share price, then I believe they are not allowed to tell staff in advance of telling shareholders.

Sorry if I am barking up the wrong tree, I am sure it was a very awkward day for you all.

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PossiblyManaged · 22/07/2015 20:55

I'm aware, noblegiraffe. My family consists of mainly teachers - and me, the lone outsider.

Yes, you do feel like an idiot. I can deal with that regarding clients but feel awful for my team. All I can tell them is 'I don't know and neither do the people I'd normally ask!'

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EthelDurant123 · 22/07/2015 20:59

Working for one of the largest employers in London I see this happen a lot. In 2013 huge changes were announced to the press regarding reorganisation. We heard about it from BBC London. It set social media alight. We were meant to get a letter explaining everything but it was released to the press first. It made a lot of us very angry and our Union furious

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FurtherSupport · 22/07/2015 20:59

If the company is listed, they have to tell the markets before/at the same time as the staff. It's very difficult to manage, but they really should have arranged staff communication concurrently. It's usual for the press to know first, because of staff communication being restricted (usually) to working hours, but staff should find out very soon afterwards.

It's not possible to tell staff first though.

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PossiblyManaged · 22/07/2015 21:02

Good point, Cheese. Although they still could have prepared the memo to release to employees the moment the report went out to the press ... not too much to ask, I think!

And, yes, apparently our shares have gone up somewhat. Then again they've been on an upward trend for a while. May be unrelated.

Still GRRR!

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PossiblyManaged · 22/07/2015 21:07

X-post, FurtherSupport, but glad to see you agree that staff info would have been the usual way to go after the press release!

It's been eight hours. Company spam since has included a variety of podcast and blog summaries, training announcements and nothing on the biggie!