Hearing stories of abusive corporate behavior infuriates me. Denying benefits after the fact. Groundless layoffs of older employees. Choosing business models that depend on substandard wages, and then blaming the employees for breaking the business when they request a living wage.
The world has no shortage of assholes in power who justify their destructive and inhuman decisions with short term, unverifiable claims to benefit the bottom-line. I know I’m preaching to the choir here. We know and have quantified the long term damage to the bottom line of treating your primary asset—your team—like an exchangable commodity.
My question is this: What if everyone quit? Yes, everyone. What if everyone who worked for an abusive boss said, “Not me. Not anymore. Find someone else to blame for your inability to see beyond your next shareholder meeting.”
How’s that for a negative outcome to their cowardly, short-term, self-promoting thinking? Entire companies shut down all at once. What if that’s what started happening to the bottom line of companies who don’t appropriately value their employees. The story is over. If you care about the bottom line, you will care about your employees.
Unfortunately, not many of us could afford the unemployment transition. Unfortunately, those of us with the least means to survive would suffer the most. And hence their power to continue to their destructive, life-ruining practices.
But what if… What if…
I can’t help but wondering. I can’t help but hoping. Hoping the power tables will turn. That some unexpected, unplanned movement will emerge where there is no negotiation. No threats. No bargaining. Just leaving. Moving on. Going where you are treated with respect, are given an opportunity to make a difference, are appreciated for all that you bring to the job that cannot be delineated in a job description.
What if everyone harmed by an abusive boss or malicious corporate policy simply quit? Everyone. Everywhere.
What if?
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