The hottest Employee Relations Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

How Google Blew Up Its Open Culture and Compromised Its Product

Big Technology • 16387 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
💼 Business Corporate culture Product Development Leadership Tech industry Employee Relations
  1. Google's open culture deteriorated, impacting its product quality and employee morale.
  2. Issues began when Google shut down discussions on sensitive topics like diversity and employee concerns.
  3. The closure of open channels for questioning within Google led to a negative impact on the company's innovation and decision-making processes.

Whatever, do the secondary sale

benn.substack • 559 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
💼 Business Venture Capital Startup Growth Employee Relations
  1. If you're a visionary founder who raises a lot of money and then sells shares for personal gain before mismanagement leads to the company's downfall, VCs will prioritize your ability to grow and persuade over your financial choices.
  2. In the world of venture capital, making money often trumps moral values, with investors backing those who are monetizable rather than necessarily 'nice.'
  3. While secondary sales by founders may raise concerns about focus and fairness to employees, making them transparent to the entire company could help ensure accountability and address potential disillusionment.

A Kick in the Teeth

The Radar • 59 implied HN points • 29 Mar 24
💼 Business Management Compensation Leadership Organizational Culture Employee Relations
  1. Amazon shocked managers with a pay freeze despite record profits and successful quarters, damaging trust and morale.
  2. The pandemic revealed the dedication of Amazon managers, who now feel undervalued due to frozen pay based on share price fluctuations.
  3. Amazon's leadership actions risk eroding trust and confidence, raising questions about their motives, behaviors, and commitment to mutual benefit.

Not Earth's Best Employer

The Radar • 59 implied HN points • 11 Jan 24
💼 Business Corporate culture Employee Relations Leadership
  1. Amazon's shift towards a strict return-to-office policy after the pandemic has caused employees to face unexpected challenges and disruptions in their work-life balance.
  2. The company's focus on cost control and downsizing has led to a shift away from its previous values, resulting in the departure of talented employees and a potential brain drain.
  3. The tactics employed by Amazon, such as enforcing compliance through threats and disregarding prior assurances, raise concerns about the company's treatment of its employees and its adherence to its own stated values.
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The Propaganda Paradox

The Radar • 19 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
💼 Business Leadership Communication Corporate culture Employee Relations Organizational dynamics
  1. Companies can fall into the trap of using internal propaganda to influence their employees, but this often backfires, eroding trust and confidence.
  2. Staged interactions and lack of authenticity in leader propaganda can make employees disengage and lose confidence in leadership.
  3. Highlighting frontline workers' stories can build unity and purpose within a team and should be prioritized over showcasing senior executives in internal communications.

Inside Pinduoduo: A Glimpse into the High-Pressure Management and Temptations of a Chinese E-commerce Giant

China Story • 2 HN points • 27 Apr 23
💼 Business Corporate culture Management Tech industry Employee Relations Ethics
  1. Interviewers at Pinduoduo weed out those who speak out to maintain a silent workforce.
  2. Pinduoduo uses high salaries to tempt and drive discourse among employees.
  3. Pinduoduo tightly controls employees to prevent leaks, including strict social interaction rules and non-compete agreements.

We Are Not Family

The Radar • 0 implied HN points • 13 Sep 23
💼 Business Leadership Organizational Behavior Workplace dynamics Employee Relations Ethics
  1. Organizations are not families - they don't operate in the same way. While workplace bonds may feel strong, the dynamics are different.
  2. Leaders should avoid likening professional settings to families to prevent manipulation. Loyalty in a work setting should be earned, not assumed like in a family.
  3. Work decisions can have lasting effects on trust within an organization. Actions that prioritize business interests over personal connections can lead to disillusionment.