💡 Don't Exploit Employees or People (Issue #578)
💡 Don't Exploit Employees or People (Issue #578)
I can't believe I have to say this
Many years ago, a hiring manager exploited a friend of mine by lowballing them on compensation. They were moving to California from another country and didn’t fully understand the cost of living and a fair offer in a new market.
Of course, they eventually figured out how much they’d been screwed and became quite bitter. A few years later, they quit, started a business, and left the corporate world behind forever. So, the company lost a very talented person because they wanted to save a few thousand dollars in their hiring budget.
That’s so dumb.
I don’t know if you’re a hiring manager or work in HR or recruiting, but I do know you have a voice. You can speak up to help ensure fair treatment of interview candidates and employees.
Pay people for the value they deliver! Do not underpay them (or pass folks over) because of their age, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion, citizenship, etc.
You might be thinking this doesn’t need to be said. Discrimination is illegal, right? We treat everyone fairly in this modern world, don’t we?
No, that is simply not true. Corporations and hiring managers are still exploiting people. I’ve seen it, and I bet you have, too.
Here is an example that came up this week: unpaid internships.
Yeah, you silly kids! Just work for free! 🙄 Then go home after work to your free apartments and eat your free food.
“You’ve got to be willing to do whatever it takes early in your career," said Squarespace's chief marketing officer Kinjil Mathur.
Mathur was willing to work for free and give extra hours during weekends.
She highlighted a willingness to work at any hour, at any pay, doing any job.
An unpaid internship is a wealthy child’s playground. I know I certainly couldn’t have afforded to do something like that in college!
You know, corporations used to actually PAY interns. Both IBM and Apple hired me for paid internships while I was in grad school. And they compensated me well enough that I could afford a one-bedroom apartment in Silicon Valley.
However, years later, corporations became greedy and expected young people to work for free in unpaid internships. They took advantage of the situation and abused the relationship.
And they wonder why young employees feel no loyalty to employers. Gee, why would that be? 🙄
Let’s put an end to this sort of exploitation. Let’s also put an end to taking advantage of people so desperate for a job that they will take a lowball offer.
You have the power to speak up and change hiring policies. Help create corporate cultures where people are paid for the value delivered!
I’m Larry Cornett, a Freedom Coach who works with you to optimize your career, business, and life. My mission is to help you become a more "Invincible You" so you can live your life on your terms instead of being controlled by someone else's rules. I live in Northern California near Lake Tahoe with my wife and our Great Dane.