Hopefully this employer really is ‘one of a kind’!

Every employer has a different style.  Richard Branson is a firm believer in treating his staff right and they will ensure his customers are treated well in turn.  Sounds logical.

Expedia – the on-line travel company – is the No 1 company people want to work at due to their staff treatment according to Glassdoor.  Again, logical.

Google is well known for their staff ‘benefits’ – including ‘adult’ play environment with slides etc, smoothie bars and so on.  Maybe a little eccentric but it seems to work.

All sound logical practices to secure and retain talent.

But of course, there are always exceptions and a manager can ruin a brand’s reputation very easily…………

I was amazed to learn of a manager’s treatment of their staff who raised concerns on the way apprentices were treated, excessive working hours – which was unpaid – lack of training and then sacked them for being unable to do their job.  Anyone with the same workload and abusive environment, reduced team due to stress sickness would have been unable to do the job!  I would never have expected this treatment based on the high regard the company in question’s brand is held.  This experience has tarnished that reputation for all involved.

What was the manager thinking would be the result?  The reality is somewhere between risk to brand reputation and an employment tribunal!

If you were a manager, how would you manage your team to get the best out of them?  The Richard Branson way or the manager mentioned above?