Boasting equity at work while laying off hundreds? Pull the other one

The new year has already set a cracking pace when it comes to industrial relations. It is difficult to know where to start, but perhaps a good place might be the UK Post Office.

Keen readers of international affairs may have heard that the venerable institution is alleged to have instigated the biggest miscarriage in English judicial history. The long-running scandal really only became front page news after a television drama (yet to be shown here) about the matter was broadcast in early January.

Over 900 staff were prosecuted between 1999 and 2014 for financial crimes. It turns out the Horizon financial software they were using was creating financial shortfall errors.

Worse, the Post Office was apparently aware the software could cause errors from 2012 or even earlier, but continued to insist that sub-postmasters should personally make up any shortfalls. There have been four reported suicides of sub-postmasters as well as significant mental health and relationship breakdowns as a result.

The corporate website for the Post Office proudly boasts that “we’re here for those that rely on us” – except their employees it seems. The organisation has signed up to every imaginable charter including climate action, waste reduction, business integrity (the gall of it!), equity diversity and inclusion, LGBTQ+, Race at Work Charter, Pregnancy loss pledge, The Menopause Pledge, and on it goes. All fine words. Doesn’t match or make up for the reality of how people were actually treated.

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Nearer to home, on January 16 it was reported the Australian Professional Leagues (APL), the mob that run A-league football, are about to or have already dispensed with almost half of their 80-strong workforce.

Unlike the Post Office, the APL appear to limit themselves on their website in the feelgood HR “space” to a rather vague statement that they have implemented “a number” of strategies and initiatives to improve diversity and inclusion “in our game”. This clearly does not extend to their 7-man, 1-woman board.

The consultancy world is no better. Late last year Ernst and Young cut 230 jobs in Australia. Their website proclaims “we empower our people” to “pursue careers as unique as they are”.