I recently had an eye-opening conversation with a woman while I was riding in a Lyft to meet my husband for dinner. It reminded me why it is so important to push corporations to be their best, because even when you think these things can’t happen in your company — at some level, it very well could be. Companies should find it their duty to understand the root of these issues and implement processes that eliminate them.
In an effort to vent some frustrations, I wrote an open letter to “the CEO.” I won’t call out the company that this stemmed from, because the wonderful woman I met felt that they will eventually get all the karma they deserve and I agree.
It also reminded me how lucky I am, to work for and with companies that don’t face issues like these and are actively trying to find ways to support their valued employees.
Dear Mr. CEO,
Yesterday, I met someone who worked for your organization for 23 years. She started working for you at the recommendation of her cousin, who worked in a distribution center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was her first job, she was an “office girl.” Mr. CEO, she didn’t think about going to college because she needed a paycheck and she was getting married and she wanted to have babies. But she worked for you and she worked really hard.
Over the course of 23 years, Mr. CEO, she helped guide your Grand Rapids distribution center through three operational changes. She was a numbers person, and could figure out systems and strived for operational excellence, but she didn’t realize that was exceptional, Mr. CEO, because there was no one there to tell her she was.
For 18 of the 23 years, Mr. CEO, she worked for a chauvinistic and manipulative boss. He degraded her, he used explicit language in the office that often reflected on your paying customers and he was entitled. For 18 years, Mr. CEO, he didn’t give your former employee high marks on her annual review, telling her that it doesn’t reflect on her compensation. So while he enjoyed an undeserving six-figure salary, she wasn’t getting the raises she deserved, for 18 years.
A short while ago, Mr. CEO, your former employee had to have a major surgery. When she returned back to work she found out her position had been eliminated. After 23 years, your company paid her a small severance, and made her sign documentation that she would never sue you, most likely because your company knew the years of mistreatment certainly would warrant a lawsuit.
A few weeks after you fired your employee of 23 years, she found out her husband has bone marrow cancer. She is interviewing everywhere, but you know what, Mr. CEO, she is in her 50’s and doesn’t have a college degree, and it’s really hard for her to find work. She was never coached and uplifted working for your organization to understand all the things she had taught herself, over the years of building your brand and helping your company drive profits that most certainly are enjoyed by your executive team.
Do you know where I met your former employee, Mr. CEO? I met her driving Lyft. Because that is the one way she is keeping her family afloat. She has had to take money out of her 401K, Mr. CEO, to help pay the bills and she is driving people like me, to support her family.
I am sickened by this story. And I am sickened that companies like this are allowed to exist in this world. I do not understand how people can sleep at night knowing that company operations like this are taking place.
We need to put the pressure on companies to be better. And we need to help victims of these horrible companies find new jobs, and flourish in the way that they were meant to.
That 30-something #struggle 