Business leaders normally make a point of meeting employees when they assume a new post, hoping to build goodwill.
Not in this town hall meeting.
The visibly irritated CEO allegedly told employees during a tense moment to ‘pack up and leave’ (it sounds worse in the local dialect, which he used), a post circulating on social media platform Reddit showed.
What was so triggering? Some witnesses in the meeting confirmed the exchange to InsiderPH but said the questions raised were ordinary concerns from employees.
We’re told this executive, who joined the company a few months ago, does not take well to being challenged, and this is something even members of the press have observed during interviews.
The situation was just as tenuous with his human resources head.
This official was accused of using offensive and cruel language toward staff.
The CEO is known in business circles as a restructuring specialist, and he faces the enormous task of turning this massive transport-focused company’s fortunes around.
Big restructurings often mean job cuts, so employees have every reason to ask questions and their concerns should be met with empathy.
It’s interesting how a recent viral Reddit thread also exposed another unit head in a sister-firm involved in data and internet. Needless to say, that episode did not end well for the executive involved.
We’re told the group even tried reaching out to Reddit itself to stop the leaks, with little success.
Instead of stopping secrets from getting out, it’s worth remembering the basics: respect is free but losing it can be very costly.
Miguel R. Camus has been a reporter covering various domestic business topics since 2009.
