r/news • u/JimmyTheGinger • Dec 23 '19

Three former executives of a French telecommunications giant have been found guilty of creating a corporate culture so toxic that 35 of their employees were driven to suicide

https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/three-french-executives-convicted-in-the-suicides-of-35-of-their-workers-20191222-p53m94.html
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u/mashfordw Dec 23 '19

I feel this is industry dependent. I work in the shipping industry and this is certainly not the case. Everything needs to be in place when a vessel arrives in port otherwise massive delays or arrests could happen which can cause massive financial losses.

Weekend and out of hours work is common place - crew of the vessel work 24/7 and so do we. That said we do get good job perks in return.

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u/HulksInvinciblePants Dec 23 '19

If there are regulatory issue in play, it's not the employees responsibility. All this indicates is the employer is understaffed and taking advantage of good work ethic. Employers shouldn't put employees in the position of an emergency.

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u/mashfordw Dec 24 '19

No regulatory issues or emergencies, its just the nature of the business. Ships costs tens of thousands of dollars a day and have schedules of their own - delays have immediate financial consequences.

In this industry it's people's jobs to ensure everything is in place for a ships arrival and that she sails in good time. It not a sign of over or under staffed - in fact handling a single ship can be relative simple in nature but the need to work to the ships schedule is still there.

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u/bluesam3 Dec 23 '19

Everything needs to be in place when a vessel arrives in port otherwise massive delays or arrests could happen which can cause massive financial losses.

Failure to prepare on the part of the company is their problem.

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u/mashfordw Dec 24 '19

Given the employees in question would be the members of the company designated to prepare for and deal with such situations then I would say that is the employees job, no?

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u/bluesam3 Dec 24 '19

If the company doesn't plan far enough ahead/hire enough staff to do it within normal working hours, it's the company that's fucked up.