When to Distrust Your Employers
There are certain situations where employees should be wary of trusting their employers. The spectacular collapse of Enron and the exposure of its extensive misrepresentations to employees is a graphic illustration of why there are situations where employee distrust is appropriate.
In ancient times, sirens were sweet singing enchantresses, part woman, part bird, who enticed sailors to their doom by distracting them so that their boats crashed on rocks surrounding their island. Today corporate sirens sing songs of stock options, promotions, and wealth and power. When things feel very heady and seductive or you feel that “quickening of the spirit,” it may be time for a reality check. You may be not seeing the deadly rocks lurking just below the waterline
Situations where employees need to be particularly on guard for misrepresentations from their employers include:
- Recruitment statements;
- Commission promises;
- Promises by start-up companies;
- Companies involved in upcoming sales or mergers;
- Companies with financial problems;
- Companies with excessively greedy corporate cultures.