Two of my closest friends have been recently visited by the ghosts of Evil Office Politics past. Like characters out of a Dickens' novel, they were startled from their peaceful slumbers by rambling chains and green eyed ghouls, awakened to face the horrors of a life derailed by outside forces. To be more specific: they were both recently sacked out of the blue.
My first friend, let's just call him "D," was let go from a large electronic retailer after six years of work as a manager. Was it poor performance that led to employment demise? Was it an illicit affair that drew the wrath of ole Green Eyes? No, and no. D's performance was stellar, enough so that he was put in charge of two locations, and given another department to manage.
"So what was it?" you ask as you shake, nervously worrying that you may also be visited by such evil apparitions. Let me put your fears to rest. It was a jealous Regional Manager. Boo! Not that scary, is it?. No, the truth is that this new manager did not like D personally and took him to task every chance he got. This eventually led to bad performance reviews, and finally to his separation.
Now, my friend is no lightweight in the Evil Office arena, but even the best of us can be taken down by a few "company policy" adjustments. And here is where I will type something that I could never say without choking on my own rage: there are times in office politics when nothing can be done to change the fate that awaits us. Cough, cough, okay now, suppress the anger--A total sham. But you need not worry: D has a trick up his sleeve. D's lawyer has given him the greenlight to go after this employer for wrongful dismissal--ha, ha, a great lesson for all Evil Office Politics readers, when all else fails, get yourself a lawyer.
Article comments
1 - vikk
Unfortunately, what you describe is not all that uncommong.
2 - beechnut79
The only thing that will stop this sort of thing is a return to the days of strong unions.