Sometimes I wonder if we’re supposed to actually enjoy what we do or if that idea was always just a myth. Work has become this thing you survive, not something that adds value to your life. I miss when I had purpose and not just tasks. Is it really too much to want both?
11 replies (most recent on top)
The company can't even engage properly with their current employees, let alone two or three ex-employees posting something on LinkedIn, which happens to be an accurate and clear assessment, at least of the current situation. No one is being misleading or defamatory in what they are actually saying and they are also talking broadly about corporate cultures, not solely about adidas.
Also, colleagues are free to invite their friends, ex-colleagues and family onto the campus, it's not like anyone is "sneaking in", they are registered visitors. And it's a welcoming and open company right? Or does that come with a caveat for only posting positive things? Are we in a cult, or is this a job (that can have you out of the company within a matter of weeks by the way)?
adidas is even tagged in one of the posts, and internal comms people 'liked' it. I agree that these ex-colleague's posts tend to follow a formula and are created to drive engagement to their coaching businesses. And, it goes without saying that it is such a cliche: employee leaves the "rat race" to become "a coach". Soon there'll be more coaches than employees :), but that aside, I don't think anyone is saying either one is better or worse, just different.
People can flag 3 LinkedIn posts to the comms team, who will do absolutely nothing about it (because what can they really do?), but until you look very deeply inside the company and who you promote and how you treat people, these things will always find their way to the surface. I don't know if there ever can be a truly different culture at adidas, no matter how much shinier the employee branding gets, no matter how many panel talks and DEI initiatives/weeks there are (and to be clear I take part in these initiatives and believe they are absolutely necessary) but the company is too huge and too disorganised to keep track of toxic leaders or dysfunctional teams.
In my long experience here, I have witnessed HR get involved if things go very wrong and even then, hardly do anything and then try to run away from the mess. So of course, more emphasis by the company goes on the things that can be controlled - money is put towards making nice videos of events, towards nice campaigns, trying to maintain a public image, packaging the image to attract talent and consumers, etc., etc. Because ultimately people are replaceable.
So it’s only natural and healthy for a couple of ex-employees who experienced all the things a lot of employees here have experienced and are experiencing right now, to call out a toxic culture, even if they have less to lose in the context of their current employment situation.
I don’t know the people who wrote those posts as I arrived to the company long time after they left but got curious and saw their profiles and first thing I saw is: certified life coach and building my own business.
So they come to the office to take pictures, write a clickbait polemic post to boost their engagement then what… offer their services? For us to ask them how they achieved happiness now and tell them that they took the right decision?
I mean, if they had such a terrible time working at the company is good that they left for something that is better and more fulfilling for them. More power to these persons. We all know corporate has many pitfalls and it’s certainly not perfect. But, these posts have the same energy as those lousy “look at me” post break up posts people upload to social media to tell their ex how they are now “winning” at life. Major cringe.
Anyway, the life of a LinkedIn post is about a month, doubt the company will engage whatsoever, and they should not either tbh.
@31s https://www.linkedin.com/posts/maikethumel_corporatelife-leadership-careerchange-ugcPost-7356725805873270785-LTS7
And some other person posted about burnout, etc, and the company was flagged on all so comms team or whoever manages the Linkedin account should see it.
Share link of LinkedIn post
@2dt Is great to see the Comms team frantically giving likes here but cannot manage the mess on Linkedin. Must be very disheartening for you not being able to censor Linkedin.
And still is really interesting how various people who worked for the company in the past found a way to be on the campus recently and then posted about the toxic culture on Linkedin.
Truth has a way of coming to light, enabled by Hr which should have restricted access on the campus for people who really do not work there. Or perhaps they want them to post externally about the toxic culture. The WoCo is also not doing anything about it.
Not surprising considering how a German leadership culture is synonym with laissez-faire lots of times.
And in the meantime the toxic leaders are living the dream: the amazing svp dei who is no longer responsible for dei....., the amazing chro, etc etc.
If you are not up to do more with less, just give 110% and constantly adjust to new priorities, go and work in a government job or so. Stock market listed companies all work like this.. and there are many people out there waiting to take your role. Wake up..
Welcome to capitalism. Getting asked to do more with less is everywhere. Get with the program. Be thankful for what you have. Take more, do more. There are hundreds and hundreds of people who would give their eye tooth to take your role.
Nike is the whiner board, and filled with bots. Let’s keep our head on straight, move forward and kick butt.
I don’t think it’s intentional but the other responses miss the point.
It’s not that we’re not lucky/privileged to work here and adidas isn’t alone in this.
There aren’t enough people to do good work and we’re constantly asked to do exceptional work because someone didn’t plan ahead. We know there will be annual lay-offs or restructuring where people who do good work and know how to run the business loose their jobs with no handoff and the people left behind have to just figure it out. It’s also worth noting that because we don’t backfill many roles careers are stagnant with minimal opportunities for professional growth. Many of the roles that do get backfilled aren’t filled with the most capable applicant, but the person who knows the hiring manager.
Yes, there are lots of cool things that happen at our work, but I don’t know anyone who actually has time for it.
I’m hoping that over the next decade the economy will improve and employers will have some power instead of just being told to be happy they have a job or if you don’t like it go somewhere else. That approach will never be capable of making anything special.
oh man…..someones missing a healthy dose of perspective….. i mean that in the most genuine way, that is 100% for your benefit.
47% of the world lives below the poverty line, 35% of the world doesn’t have access to the internet….
You get paid handsomely in return for performing tasks for the company. It’s that simple. So if you get enjoyment from that, amazing! But if not, count the money and hug your kids/wife/pillow and live another day
It is a job. Finding passion in a job is your responsibility, not the companys. Furthermore, the brand provides ample reasoning for being passionate, sport, culture, work;life balance, awesome facilities, and a work environment where the expectation is to challenge yourself, grow, + be driven. I would say that 100% of people that like it here think this way. If you feel differently, maybe it’s not for you,