Yes, even you can get fired
Messages on work email and Slack will eventually piss off the right people
It continues to amaze me how “comfortable” we become in our day jobs.
We begin acting like we’re irreplaceable.
We make our offices and workstations extensions of our living rooms, complete with framed family pictures, tchotchkes, and even alma mater or sports memorabilia.
We conduct our personal affairs and conversations over work email, work phones, company Slack, and other messaging software.
Stop doing this.
I’ve personally reminded close family members and friends to avoid these behaviors.
Even in the past when I worked for a company and had a cubicle or office, I maintained a “5-minute policy,” where I would always be able to clear out my desk within 5 minutes in the event I was abruptly let go or laid off (and yes, it happened).
Because no matter how special you think you are, remember that if you work for a company, you can get fired at any time.
Regardless of whether you did right or wrong, anything you write and especially across company-owned software or devices can also be monitored and used against you.
This week’s ouster of Tucker Carlson from Fox News is a great example.
According to Business Insider, Carlson had no idea the Friday, April 21 episode of Tucker Carlson Tonight was his last.
Rumor has it he and his team were blindsided and axed just as they were planning the following Monday night show. Fox Corp. made the news public only 10 minutes later.
Such a deft move was said to have come from Rupert Murdoch himself, who was unhappy with how Carlson had begun trashing Fox News practices and content decisions.
Indeed, excerpts of his text messages were made public during Dominion Voting System's defamation trial vs. Fox Corp.:
Back in 2019, luggage brand Away also saw its former CEO, Steph Korey, step down over her critical remarks aimed at employees amid operational and customer service issues, as seen in The Verge:
It doesn’t matter whether you’re at the helm of a company, or you’ve brought in a lot of customers, a massive audience or huge following.
If you’re constantly using work time to be rude and nasty, act entitled, and shit-talk your colleagues, your boss, and the company’s decisions, then eventually you will piss off enough people to get you fired.
About a month after Korey’s Slack messages became public she stepped down as Away’s CEO.
Why don’t they just quit
When I was a manager at a corporate bank, I heard a label given to disgruntled individuals, known as “onboard terrorists.”
They would bitch and moan about everyone and everything wrong at the company, meanwhile influence others who were also unhappy or simply bored and willing to listen.
They would never look at their own performance issues, and they would never consider quitting. Deep down they knew they didn’t want to find anywhere else to work. And who else would hire them anyway?
Employees in leadership roles with an extra level of (fake) authority were worse, because they acted like they were invincible.
But as we’ve seen in even company-defining leaders like Steve Jobs and Jack Dorsey, you may be just one board vote from getting fired and removed.
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Until next time,
Shindy
On Instagram + TikTok
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