Would you tell your friends they may be laid off?

[kranky]

You guys would make the most terrific friends ever... What a bunch of fucking pansies!

"I wouldn't tell, I might get fired.' Douche! No clue what friend means.

So if I tell my friend two days in advance that he would get canned, how does that help him? What if the list changes at the last minute and he doesn't get canned? Happens a lot. Did I do him a favor by telling him the wrong thing?

There is a huge risk in doing such a thing. I don't see where it's helping anyone at all.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

He'll have a chance to shoot the place up, steal pencils, ask that girl in accounting he's been shy around, on a date, dig a hole (to bury a box), cap the copier. Who cares? Maybe something, maybe nothing. At least a head start in finding a new employer.

A. Employer loyalty is a lie foisted upon society by corps. There is no such thing as employer loyalty, so demanding employee loyalty is disgusting imho. There is not one right thing I wouldn't do because it's against the rules of my employment. They are just as expendable as I am.

B. Any employer who would fire an employee because the company leaked something, and expect an employee to be more loyal to them than their own friends is, asking for self-serving opportunists rather than good moral workers, and should get what it deserves.

C. Anyone who is so concerned with their own interests that they would not tell a friend important news, is fucking douche nozzle sell out.

Do your friends read this?

D. If you job is so important to you that you would abandon your morals to keep it, your priorities are fucked.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

if it did not risk my own employment i probably would

 

[SphinxnihpS]

if it did not risk my own employment i probably would

Ugh...

 

[yh125d]

Friend, yes. coworker/buddy, no


I was grateful when my uncle told me I was gonna get laid off at the end of the week. Kept me from buying a new GPU

 

[HardcoreRobot]

Ugh...

so, YOU would want a good friend to put their own career on the line to tell you something you are going to find out anyways sometime soon?

shit friend you are...

 

[IndyColtsFan]

So you guys are gonna fire Mike and Samir, and you're gonna give *me* more money?

Bob #2: "Samir Na...Nag...Naga...Not gonna work here tomorrow!"

To the OP -- no, I would not tell them. Several years ago, I worked as an IT Manager at a company and as such, I had access to layoff lists before they happened. One time, I got a list that had a friend on it. Rumors were rampant about layoffs at the time, and the friend came to my office to ask if he/she would be getting laid off. I had to deny knowledge of it. It hurt like hell, but in this round, I got the list late and there were only a couple of hours before the people were informed. Plus, this friend was hot-headed and if I did reveal the truth, nothing good would come of it and it might have cost me my job too.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Ugh...

Yeah, because being a hero and falling on the sword and losing your OWN job just to tell someone that in a few hours, they're losing their job is such a GREAT idea!

 

[IndyColtsFan]

so, YOU would want a good friend to put their own career on the line to tell you something you are going to find out anyways sometime soon?

shit friend you are...

Exactly. Why on earth would you risk losing your job if your friend is getting laid off and there isn't a damn thing you can do to prevent it? It isn't like telling the person he/she is getting laid off will somehow save their job.

 

[kranky]

He'll have a chance to shoot the place up, steal pencils, ask that girl in accounting he's been shy around, on a date, dig a hole (to bury a box), cap the copier. Who cares? Maybe something, maybe nothing. At least a head start in finding a new employer.

A. Employer loyalty is a lie foisted upon society by corps. There is no such thing as employer loyalty, so demanding employee loyalty is disgusting imho. There is not one right thing I wouldn't do because it's against the rules of my employment. They are just as expendable as I am.

B. Any employer who would fire an employee because the company leaked something, and expect an employee to be more loyal to them than their own friends is, asking for self-serving opportunists rather than good moral workers, and should get what it deserves.

C. Anyone who is so concerned with their own interests that they would not tell a friend important news, is fucking douche nozzle sell out.

Do your friends read this?

D. If you job is so important to you that you would abandon your morals to keep it, your priorities are fucked.

OK, you feel it is immoral and disloyal to friends to not tell them they may be laid off.

I believe I act morally, and I also believe I am loyal to my friends. While I may see lists ahead of time, there is no guarantee that someone WILL be laid off until the moment happens. Lists change. People end up transferring instead of getting chopped. My point is this: since I cannot know for sure, I am not being disloyal by keeping quiet. Nor am I acting immorally.

 

[sourceninja]

When I was much younger I was looking to move from a apartment I shared with 5 guys to my own place. I had heard rumors of a layoff coming so I asked my boss. He told me I had nothing to worry about and even if we did layoffs I would still have a job. He also reminded me to come to the staff meeting on saturday morning (we had these kind of meetings every 6 months or so).

So I signed the papers and the next morning I went to the staff meeting. Everyone was laid off. I was asked to sign a non-compete to get my last check. I put my fist though the wall and walked out. They mailed me my check.

 

[slag]

Yes, definitely, but not at work and not so bluntly.

I was on the other side of this before where my "friend" was my supervisor and he told me nothing. He told me after the fact that it was the hardest day of his life when I was talking to him before I got laid off, but screw that. A true friend would have told me when he found out over a beer or something and not just left me not knowing.

I haven't talked to him since and don't care to. That was 3 years ago.

 

[TruePaige]

You guys aren't being very creative.

Set up a couple proxies and drops some anonymous e-mails. Use a fact only someone close to them and/or the company would know to lend credibility if you think they might wonder if it is a hoax and you feel comfortable.

Use a one time use e-mail and a couple of proxies (or Tor if you are really paranoid) and the company isn't finding out you did it.

 

[ciproxr]

Its not a good idea, people that you consider your friends when upset will screw you in a heartbeat. Like others said, its not wise to put your career/job on the line for something thats inevitable

 

[pontifex]

Realistically, is it going to make any difference if they know a couple days sooner? It's pretty unlikely.

as others have said, its more about you getting in trouble for telling than them knowing ahead of time.

 

[Krynj]

My friends wouldn't be pissed if they found out I knew and didn't tell them.

They're old enough to understand job responsibilities and consequences.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

My friends wouldn't be pissed if they found out I knew and didn't tell them.

They're old enough to understand job responsibilities and consequences.

You don't have friends.

 

[BoomerD]

He'll have a chance to shoot the place up, steal pencils, ask that girl in accounting he's been shy around, on a date, dig a hole (to bury a box), cap the copier. Who cares? Maybe something, maybe nothing. At least a head start in finding a new employer.

A. Employer loyalty is a lie foisted upon society by corps. There is no such thing as employer loyalty, so demanding employee loyalty is disgusting imho. There is not one right thing I wouldn't do because it's against the rules of my employment. They are just as expendable as I am.

B. Any employer who would fire an employee because the company leaked something, and expect an employee to be more loyal to them than their own friends is, asking for self-serving opportunists rather than good moral workers, and should get what it deserves.

C. Anyone who is so concerned with their own interests that they would not tell a friend important news, is fucking douche nozzle sell out.

Do your friends read this?

D. If you job is so important to you that you would abandon your morals to keep it, your priorities are fucked.

I bolded the only part of your rant I agree with. Company loyalty doesn't really exist because the company is rarely loyal to its employees...and loyalty should run both ways.

As for the rest...my friends at work are just that...work friends. I owe then nothing that might compromise my job.

My loyalty is to myself and my family...not to a company...not to the people I work with.

 

[CraigRT]

D. If you job is so important to you that you would abandon your morals to keep it, your priorities are fucked.

That's something I always stand by myself as well.

 

[smitbret]

He'll have a chance to shoot the place up, steal pencils, ask that girl in accounting he's been shy around, on a date, dig a hole (to bury a box), cap the copier. Who cares? Maybe something, maybe nothing. At least a head start in finding a new employer.

A. Employer loyalty is a lie foisted upon society by corps. There is no such thing as employer loyalty, so demanding employee loyalty is disgusting imho. There is not one right thing I wouldn't do because it's against the rules of my employment. They are just as expendable as I am.

B. Any employer who would fire an employee because the company leaked something, and expect an employee to be more loyal to them than their own friends is, asking for self-serving opportunists rather than good moral workers, and should get what it deserves.

C. Anyone who is so concerned with their own interests that they would not tell a friend important news, is fucking douche nozzle sell out.

Do your friends read this?

D. If you job is so important to you that you would abandon your morals to keep it, your priorities are fucked.

I mostly agree. Depends on how good a company it is and my level of friendship. Unless you are friends with inconsiderate douche nozzles, why would you have any reason to believe that your job would be in jeopardy for telling them? My friends would say "thank you", make preparations to find work elsewhere and keep there mouths shut.