excerpts from my escape

warning: conversations may be condensed and/or edited for privacy and relevance.

after filling out the employee exit survey, hr reviews it and asks follow up questions. below is a part of the follow-up.

hr: why do you think that management decisions aren't fair?
trey: (smiles) there are too many people who should be promoted, but are not. instead, those who are promoted tend to be lazy and pretentious.

hr: what do you mean?
trey: promotion means a reward for a work well done. in our department, promotion tends to be how much of a suck-up and backbiter you are.

hr: who are you referring to?
trey: (laughs) come on. everyone knows who he is. it's *****.

hr: (smiles) alright, i just wanted to confirm it. why do you think everyone dislikes him?
trey: (smiles) he says the right things to the people who make the decision, whether it's to advance himself at the expense of others, or to just present a negative impression of the person to everyone. he is very good at politics, i have to hand him that.

hr: mar is resigning. you know that?
trey: (laughs) yes, and i believe she has the same reasons as me. and she won't be the last. she is one of his backbiting victims.

hr: i have a feeling she won't be as well. what do you think is the problem in your department?
trey: i think it's the inability to be open to ideas, to acknowledge that there are problems, and that big decisions should not be hurried. the inability to distance personal and professional ties. the inability to be humble. the inability to be humane.

hr: would you say that there is a lack of communication?
trey: um, if not lack of, then it's the lack of the right form of communication. this is what is important. acknowledging the strengths of people and helping them overcome their weaknesses. not highlighting the mistakes and ignoring the achievements. it demoralizes employees.

hr: should we ask you to return, would you?
trey: (smiles) you know, i really like the job. if circumstances were changed and different, probably. otherwise, i would not want to be supervised by a stupid asshole.

hr looks visibly shocked.

hr: really?
trey: (laughs) would you? this guy is obviously unqualified. it's just that hr doesn't have a choice because all the qualified people have resigned. you know, it's sad to see this company go down like that because the culture is so pervasive on personal relations rather than on merits and achievements.

hr: (laughs) that's true. we don't have anyone else. but what do you recommend we do?
trey: you don't have a choice. that's just it. i believe that our department is not the only one suffering from the following: overwork, stress, pressure, unqualified power-hungry ass kissers - one of them or any combinations. am i right?

hr nods.

trey: to change the company's culture would be like trying to change a tree. it may need a big change such as massive uprooting, or you may continue to treat the symptoms rather than treating the cause. you may be left with undeserving people while good people continue to leave the company in droves.

hr: what do you think is the cause?
trey: complacency. the fear of change. how change would affect the people and the profit. the reluctance to let go of the familiar and to embrace the new. people are often afraid to challenge and improve themselves.

hr asks trey more questions. then after a while, the interview ends.