Social Media Mishap

Last year around this time, I was employed in an SME as an in-house web developer. How that came about is a tale for another day. This story is about an ex-colleague. My colleague was dismissed from her position. And how it happened will be a good bit of food for thought.

Things had been a little tense between the CEO and her lately, with her being very vocal about her displeasure as to how things were transpiring. It all came to a head one fateful evening when she posted an epic rant on Facebook, not naming any names, but using very colorful language and leaving no doubt, to those in the know, as to whom she was referring to. As it happened, the HR Manager was on her Friends List, and saw it. This was escalated to the COO, who in turn made it known to the CEO that this employee was dissing him on Social Media. There was an enquiry, which took place over some conversation where my now ex-colleague was asked to explain herself, after which she voluntarily resigned.

Tendering.

That's not being dismissed...

Splitting hairs a bit here, aren't we? Technically, yes, she was not dismissed and thus she had no grounds to sue for unfair dismissal. But if she had not resigned, things would have gotten very unpleasant. In spirit, there's not much difference there.

There have been several incidences of employees being dismissed due to something they posted on Social Media, such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. So many that I won't even bother to link you to an example. Just do a Google search.

That sucks!

Sure it does. It's a crappy thing to happen to anyone. But allow me to explain my position here.

My ex-colleague's a nice lady. Sure, she's a little dramatic and hot-tempered. So she isn't perfect. But we do get along and I wish her no ill. That said, I harbor no sympathy for her in this situation. She had it coming.

Look, bosses are only human. They have their biases, their flaws and their insecurities. Some bosses prefer to hire and promote pretty young things in skirts. Some bosses have hare-brained ideas that they will defend even in the face of all evidence to the contrary. Some bosses, plainly speaking, need to grow the hell up. But generally, even the most mature, understanding and enlightened boss will not take kindly to being ticked off in public for the world to see, especially when he has control over the employment status of the one doing the ticking off. What, you think that sounds unfair? Spoiler: No one claimed life was fair.

What she did wrong

Other than piss off someone who had the power to fire her?

Here goes - she added the wrong people to her Friends List. That was HR, for crying out loud. My ex-colleague complained bitterly that HR had backstabbed her in the entire debacle.

Wait, what?

As far as I'm concerned, HR did more or less what one should expect of HR. Between the company and you, whose side does one realistically expect HR to take? Here's a clue - not yours. Not unless it's a legal matter - in which case HR, while not on the company's side, is still not on your side. She's on her own side, in military lingo, covering her own ass. And if you believe otherwise, if you harbor any hope of surviving in the corporate world at all, you need to have that oh-so-endearing naivete slapped out of your head ASAP. You are a cog in a machine, no more. Does a mechanic concern himself with a cog, or the machine?

Repeat after me - HR is not your friend. In fact, this applies to your colleagues as well. They are not your friends. Sure, HR is supposed to be personable and friendly. HR is supposed to make you feel that you can confide your problems at work, in her. HR is supposed to act like she is your best buddy in the company. But if you believe her, how do I put this delicately - nah, screw it - you're a fucking idiot.

But HR is really my friend. We've known each other since kindergarten...

In that case, as a friend, you should jolly well not put HR in the position where she has to choose between friendship and professional duty. Rant on Facebook if you must, but filter her from the post. She can't possibly be expected to report what she doesn't see, right?

Didn't see
a thing!

My colleague put HR in a position where it was clear some action had to be taken. Sure, HR could have taken her aside and advised her to take the post down, without escalating it. But the only thing that is clear is that HR had to do something. It's unfortunate that the route most ruinous to my ex-colleague was taken, but here's the thing - what in the blue hell was HR doing on her Friends List anyway?

Honestly, had I been the CEO, I would have gotten rid of that ex-colleague too. Not because I can't man up and take criticism. But because anyone who is stupid enough to add HR to their Friends List and then bitch about the company on Facebook, can't be trusted to work for me. I mean, if you can't even exercise that little bit of common sense, what can you do?

Get fired up, but don't get fired.
T___T