Crackdown on Minor Infractions (Stealth Layoff?)

A little horror story for you all: companies are now cracking down on minor infractions, possibly as a stealth layoff per WSJ. Here are the sins employees committed recently leading to their termination:

• Meta employees used $25 meal allowances on household items instead of restaurant meals.
• E&Y employees watched multiple training videos at the same time.
• Target employees bought Stanley water bottles before regular customers could.

Have companies suddenly gotten more ethical? It’s more likely employers are “feeling buyer’s remorse after a postpandemic hiring spree” and “can use the company handbook to push out unwanted employees.” WSJ posits employers want to avoid laying off people (which signal business is struggling), giving expensive packages, and shaking customer/investor confidence. Finally, firing for small infractions serves as a warning to remaining employees to follow the rules/save the company money.

The end result? I like the analogy given about today’s workplace: it’s like “a street with a 30 mph speed limit, where you routinely get away with driving 37 mph and feel blindsided when you’re pulled over and ticketed. Enforcement levels fluctuate … and seem to be high right now.” Hang in there, everyone!