So back in 2018 I had a corporate job at a fortune 500 automotive parts retailer. after Trump announced his completely unexpected tax cut, the company I worked for stood to save around $80M. Many of us wondered when those savings would be used to update systems, institute pay raises, etc, etc.
Well shortly after fox business news had our ceo on for an interview and they ask him how the company was spending the money saved. He said, “making significant investments in our people and workforce.” Or something like that. Bullshit. The day after the interview much of the office was talking about how it was flatly untrue. We were getting 1.5% pay raises, and many folks who relocated from a lower COL office had never got the COL salary adjustments they were promised. Systems were old and outdated and nothing meaningful was changing for the better.
So our quarterly meeting rolls around and as usual, it's end-capped by a q&a session. I was working up my nerve the entire meeting to ask my question, and after 5 seconds of silence from not a single soul wanting to ask the corporate suite a question I raised my hand and asked for the mic.
I introduced myself reminded him and the audience of the interview and asked him what programs the company had made for the benefit of corporate and/or retail employees since the tax cuts were announced, then thanked him for his time and sat down.
His face expresses the reality that he was clearly not expecting to have to field this question, but he bullshitted his way through a couple minutes of non-answer and referenced already existing programs.
After the meeting adjourned, a number of coworkers expressed appreciation for me asking the question and offered scorn for him failing to answer it honestly. So I decided to email him. He always said he had an 'open door policy' so I figured open inbox too.
I suggested maybe I wasn't clear in how I asked the question (I was) and posed it again. He responded by CC'ing the vp of HR and praised my question, and said he'd like to answer my question in person. The HR lady set up a meeting, and sure as shit, the ceo backed out the day prior.
So I go to the meeting and the first thing the lady says is, “so what do you want to talk about today?”
I paused, wanting to point out how incredibly ignorant and patronizing the question was, but played nice. The best answer she was able to offer was they were updating the computer/database systems with some of thr money. Folks had been asking for that for years, but quarterly profits were too important.
I tried telling her letting the employees guess what it was being spent on wasn't doing them any favors. Simple math figured out how much was to be saved, so it had become something of an elephant in the room and the employees would be better off hearing the truth, no matter what it was. She thanked me and I left.
I was the sole “lay-off” due to a department 're-org' maybe 6 months later. I left that day and felt joy and freedom deep inside driving home. Almost excitement. Odd but I had grown to loathe the corporate culture.
Oh, and they spent the bulk of that money buying back shares, because stock price is #1! Especially when the corporate suite gets the majority of their compensation in shares.
I ended up buying a small business and will NEVER work corporate again. #free