Re: Good HR vs. Bad HR...

Actually, I don't think the company is all that bad now. In fact, I would have preferred to keep the company name out of it.

Also, I should have put this into a context. At the time this was written, upper management had started an intimidation campaign. They were doing some layoffs, but rather than do it in any kind of normal fashion, they were laying off one or two people per day - and making a spectacle of it. They would come around to the victim and force them to stop whatever they were doing immediately and parade them out of the building with a security escort. They were not allowed to even log off, finish a line of code, or pick up personal items - which were instead to be shipped to their home. After about a week or two of this, I happened to be on an elevator with a VP and a director (ones I didn't really know) - just the three of us. They started talking, for my benefit obviously, about the success of their "let's put the fear of God into our employees" (a direct quote) strategy. It was then that I decided it wasn't someplace I wanted to stay. That night, I wrote up this resignation - as a sort of counter-attack. The next morning, I came in, packed up most of my stuff, took it to the car, and submitted the letter to about three layers of management above me, the managers whose projects I was working on, one of the owners of the company, and HR. Most were included only because I wanted them to know why I was actually leaving, not some distorted version they might get through the bureaucracy. I also sent a fairly comprehensive turnover document to one of my co-workers (Mike M.), as I knew that this wouldn't be considered as an essential part of the exit process. About three hours later I was called up to HR. The director of the division I worked for was there, as well as the HR person. The HR person said that they had "chosen to terminate my employment effective immediately". I said "So, you are accepting my resignation?" and she turned bright red and glowered at me. She said that I wouldn't be able to return to my cube - that security would escort me out of the building directly from her office. I told them that all I had left there was one small box of books that belonged to me. This director was actually a very sensible and technical guy who had come up through the ranks. He told the HR clown that he would go back with me and escort me out. We went back to my cube, he carried the box out to my car for me, and told me "Well, at least maybe this will do some good".

I think they slacked up a bit after that. I still have friends who work there. About a year after I left, I saw one of my past managers at a user group meeting. He is now a VP I believe. He said that if I ever decided I could work there again, to give him call. About two years after I left, I went back out there for a visit and was greeted warmly by former co-workers and even a few managers.

I think that the reason that, as Matt said, this became "legendary" is only because it was a sort of "suicide attack" against the arrogance and stupidity that existed in some upper management circles at that time. I was the first "martyr", but quite a number of others also resigned within the next few months (none so flamboyantly though). Of the group (ET) of twenty that I was in, well over half had left (voluntarily) within a year. Matt was among the "defectors", as was our manager and a large percentage of the other senior technical people.

Don Granaman
[OraSaurus]

• Original Message ----- To: "Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L" <ORACLE-L_at_fatcity.com> Sent: Friday, May 10, 2002 9:33 AM

> Don,
>
> And, of course, since it was a resignation letter, the company probably just
> filed it away. I'll give you the "Brass Cajones" award though, for setting
> the record straight.
>
> Just curious, is the company still around? Need to make sure to avoid it in
> the future! :)
>
> Tom Mercadante
> Oracle Certified Professional

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Author: Don Granaman
  INET: granaman_at_cox.net

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