Retail Appointment January 2019 TRAP_Jan 2019_Digital Edition | Page 5

n most cases, both sides find this helpful and,
where constructive feedback is given, the em-
ployer can learn from the leaver’s experience and
perhaps avoid losing others. On other occasions, it
is an opportunity to thank the employer. In a perfect
world this is useful for both sides.
I
But do you live in a perfect world?
All too often an employee sees this as an opportunity
to settle old scores and perhaps to hit back at man-
agers who either were not competent, or who the
leaver believes were not competent. So, they give
damning indictments on their former bosses and
perhaps on colleagues, believing that they have se-
cretly managed to hit back at those they dislike
without any possible backlash. Whereas, in fact, in
this very imperfect world, the opposite is often true.
So, what happens when you make disparaging or
vicious remarks about your former colleagues and
managers? When they see or hear about it, it builds
up resentment. “Why couldn’t they say this to my
face?” they ask, full of righteous indignation; per-
haps forgetting that the complaints were justified.
And then they plot their revenge!
It sounds nasty and does not always happen, but
there is a risk. References are frequently taken up
and there is a dangerous myth that an employer
cannot give a bad reference. They can and they
often do. Defamation, I hear you cry! Well, it is only
defamation if it’s untrue. An angry but clever em-
ployer may well find things that are damaging to you
that are true, even though overall you did a good job.
This may seem one sided, and it is, but no one ever
said this world is always fair. And, let’s be clear, how
often does an employer tell you that you were turned
down because of references?
Of course, some people prefer to hit back on social
media. This is really a very bad idea. Firstly, potential
employers may not like to see these sorts of com-
ments, even if they are about their competitors. More
worryingly, where you have been damning about
your former employer, it is entirely likely that they will
see what you have written and work out that it is
you. Let’s be honest, if you were bitter and twisted
whilst working for them they probably knew it.
Negative comments on social media, including the
so-called review sites, are at best unprofessional and
at worst provocative and dangerous. It is far more
likely that potential employers will ask your ex-em-
ployer about you than it is that a potential employer
will ask you about them.
In short, there is really not very much upside in “hit-
ting back” in this way but there is an enormous
downside. When it comes to exit interviews and
giving feedback, probably the best advice is the old
adage, “if you haven’t got anything good to say
about someone, don’t say anything at all.”
In many cases you will feel that you do have some
constructive criticisms, which you feel genuinely will
be well received and taken on board. And, you will
probably be right. To be sure, though, mention it to
your line manager first.
After all, how many of us really
welcome criticism, constructive or
otherwise?
For employers that really do want to get feedback,
warts and all, then they need to be able to guarantee
confidentiality and ensure that managers, or those
criticised, cannot hit back. In a well-run organisation
that feedback would pass freely before the employee
leaves, but very few organisations are perfect.
“If “Pull
you out
haven’t
got from
anything
good to
a quote
the editorial
say that
about
someone,
don’t and
say put
copy
sounds
interesting
anything
at all.”
it here.”
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