So alot of you were right, royally peeved at the way my mate was informed of her impending retrenchment – and quite rightly so – however there were ‘developments’ on Friday, and they were that when she went in to her office to agree her leaving package, they went and offered her original job back [albeit with a slight difference to the role]
What the hell is going on? Would you trust these people to manage your career? Are they really that inept?
OK …OK … so full marks to them for realising how good she is, but …
1 Why didn’t they think that PRIOR to retrenching her
2 Why have they let some other people go who my friend say’s are bloody brilliant
3 How can a company behave this way?
Personally I’d sue them for emotional distress … but that’s just me … but I just don’t believe companies can behave this way – these are people’s lives they are dealing with and they want / need / deserve clarity and communication from their management.
The way some companies act is in direct contrast to the bile they spout in their meetings / mission statements / pitches … and maybe as an industry, we should start the equivalent of Bono’s RED – but for fair treatment to advertising employees. First thing would be to start a union … because Christ Almighty … if any industry needs one, it’s adland.
Anyway, before I go … I had the misfortune to meet a SENIOR planner who as far as I am concerned, has absolutely no idea about what his job is or how people think.
Now I know that is harsh and to save him shame, I’m not going to name him … but to prove my point, please have a look at the chart at the top of this entry … a chart he ‘created’ to demonstrate what he does and how he does it.
Surely it is one of the most ridiculous, complicated, anti-design pieces of bollocks you’ve ever seen! Isn’t it? ISN’T IT???
These people don’t just exist in our industry – they thrive – and that’s because too many clients don’t know what we do, what they do or what their customers really think.
I love planning … I love creativity … I love advertising [to a degree, ha!] but if the majority of this industry continues in their relentless quest to make money – then I am scared for where we’re all going to end up.
I want to know humans … [too many] clients want to know process … and while they can [and should] work together, I will never, never, never condone a system where we put the consumer attitudes / needs and wants a distant second to a regimented, out-of-context process protocol.
Last week I met a client [unsurprisingly, ex-P&G] who had a mathematical equation for EVERYTHING [and I mean, everything] and maybe that’s why he is about as out of touch of reality as almost any single person I’ve ever met before.
Planners, Creatives, Suits and Management stand up … relate to reality, understand humanity and don’t get bogged down in the clichés of our industry and then maybe we can show industry just what we’re capable of.
I’m angry … but then it’s Monday so what do you expect eh?