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  • RadioShack lays off 403 via e-mail

    Congratulations to Radio Shanck for winning the 2006 Poor Taste Award.

    10:59 PM CDT on Tuesday, August 29, 2006

    By IEVA M. AUGSTUMS and MARIA HALKIAS / The Dallas Morning News


    The electronic pink slip is here.

    In a move that some in the corporate world may deem unacceptable, RadioShack Corp. laid off 403 employees at its Fort Worth headquarters Tuesday via e-mail.

    Employees knew that the cuts were coming and that they initially would be notified electronically, but some experts questioned the procedure.

    "Traditionally in Texas, people are dismissed in a face-to-face meeting," said Frank McLaughlin, chairman of McSearch Personnel Consultants in Dallas. "It's not customary, not socially acceptable to some to do it over e-mail, but it's legal."

    Dr. Derrick D'Souza, professor of management and associate dean at the University of North Texas College of Business Administration, said getting the news via e-mail might be viewed negatively, "if it's not part of the company's standard operating procedure and culture."

    "It's a critical event communicated through a routine method of day-to-day correspondence," he said.

    On Aug. 10, RadioShack told employees that it would reduce its workforce by 400 to 450 jobs.

    In a series of meetings, company officials explained the method of layoff notification would be e-mail, said RadioShack spokeswoman Kay Jackson.

    The company explained the procedure and invited employees to ask questions ahead of Tuesday's notification through RadioShack's intranet site.

    "We wanted to treat our employees with as much dignity and respect as possible," Ms. Jackson said.

    "It's a difficult thing to do, and everyone will have a different opinion on how to do it.

    "To be open and have constant communication, whether you're impacted or not, was the right thing to do," she said.

    E-mails were sent out by 8:45 a.m. About 30 minutes later, employees met with their supervisors, she said. That was followed by a meeting with human resources and outplacement-service representatives.

    Other companies that recently had significant staff cuts said they communicate the old-fashioned way.

    Blockbuster Inc. spokesman Randy Hargrove said recent layoffs at its Dallas corporate headquarters were done face to face.

    "It's our notification procedure to have a supervisor sit down with each employee," he said.

    Likewise at Plano-based EDS, "the direct supervisor has a face- to-face meeting with each employee," said spokeswoman Liz Bonet.

    Although RadioShack employees knew the e-mails were coming, Dr. D'Souza said, companies should be careful not to dehumanize the process and treat employees as machines in a digital society.

    Mr. McLaughlin said feelings may have been hurt at RadioShack "because of the method."

    RadioShack shares closed up 22 cents Tuesday at $17.92.
    Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.
    "Hating America is something best left to Mobius. He is an expert Yank hater.
    He also hates Texans and Australians, he does diversify." ~ Braindead

  • #2
    There is company I would never want to for.

    All I have to say is "what a bunch of wimps"
    Keep on Civin'
    RIP rah, Tony Bogey & Baron O

    Comment


    • #3
      That's disgusting!
      Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing?
      Then why call him God? - Epicurus

      Comment


      • #4
        This is what sums it up, to me. Their expectation level on what shows respect and dignity is sure low.

        "We wanted to treat our employees with as much dignity and respect as possible," Ms. Jackson said.
        Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.
        "Hating America is something best left to Mobius. He is an expert Yank hater.
        He also hates Texans and Australians, he does diversify." ~ Braindead

        Comment


        • #5
          can't say I've been to a radioshack in 10 years. they just don't have the selection of stuff that the bigger stores have.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by asleepathewheel
            can't say I've been to a radioshack in 10 years. they just don't have the selection of stuff that the bigger stores have.
            I go there only when I have unique needs... they carry the wacko stuff that I can't find in the bigger stores. But for things I can buy elsewhere, they aren't very cost effective.
            Keep on Civin'
            RIP rah, Tony Bogey & Baron O

            Comment


            • #7
              Radioshack is still around? Wow.

              -Arrian
              grog want tank...Grog Want Tank... GROG WANT TANK!

              The trick isn't to break some eggs to make an omelette, it's convincing the eggs to break themselves in order to aspire to omelettehood.

              Comment


              • #8
                Yeah. They have seven thousand stores nationwide.
                Click here if you're having trouble sleeping.
                "We confess our little faults to persuade people that we have no large ones." - François de La Rochefoucauld

                Comment


                • #9
                  If you factor in time spent, Radio Shack can be a good thing. No lines. Less walking.
                  Same reason I sometimes prefer a smaller hardware store.
                  Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.
                  "Hating America is something best left to Mobius. He is an expert Yank hater.
                  He also hates Texans and Australians, he does diversify." ~ Braindead

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Well after readying the article i'm not quite as shocked as just after I read the thread title.
                    They knew it was coming, discussions had been had, and the did meet face to face afterwards.

                    BUT having said all that, this is still pretty gutless.

                    It makes me think of the movie '5th Element' where Bruce Willis's character is fired through notification by snail mail to show just how heartless corporations had become.
                    The future is now.
                    It's almost as if all his overconfident, absolutist assertions were spoonfed to him by a trusted website or subreddit. Sheeple
                    RIP Tony Bogey & Baron O

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Arrian
                      Radioshack is still around? Wow.

                      -Arrian
                      I thought they went under years ago.

                      Any company that requires a full address of a customer buying batteries deserves to suffer.
                      "I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure." - Clarence Darrow
                      "I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." - Mark Twain

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Wezil
                        I thought they went under years ago.

                        Any company that requires a full address of a customer buying batteries deserves to suffer.
                        What?
                        Click here if you're having trouble sleeping.
                        "We confess our little faults to persuade people that we have no large ones." - François de La Rochefoucauld

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          That's no different than grocery chains almost forcing store cards on you for "discounts". It tracks your purchases. Both are the same.
                          Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.
                          "Hating America is something best left to Mobius. He is an expert Yank hater.
                          He also hates Texans and Australians, he does diversify." ~ Braindead

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Certainly, but RadioShack doesn't do that.
                            Click here if you're having trouble sleeping.
                            "We confess our little faults to persuade people that we have no large ones." - François de La Rochefoucauld

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              They ask for your phone number when you make a purchase. Same concept, just not for a perceived discount.
                              Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.
                              "Hating America is something best left to Mobius. He is an expert Yank hater.
                              He also hates Texans and Australians, he does diversify." ~ Braindead

                              Comment

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