Blimey! Apparently, the British royals have their knickers in a twist over Prince Harry and Princess Meghan’s recent television interview with Oprah. The news of the interview has caused quite the kerfuffle across the pond, as the Sussexes revealed shocking royal secrets. Royal aides, who deem Harry and Meghan’s swipes a load of codswallop, hit back even before the Oprah interview, revealing that Meghan faced a bullying complaint made by one of her closest advisors during her time at Kensington Palace.
Although the royals have their own protocol for dealing with negative publicity, here are four tips for dealing with employees who talk rubbish about your business once they’ve left:
Emphasize Positive Employee Relations
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Happy blokes don’t trash talk (or sue) their employers. In general, employees want job satisfaction, personal growth, and the ability to care for themselves and their families. Employees also want to be treated with respect. According to one study, 72% of employees ranked “respectful treatment of all employees at all levels” the most important factor in job satisfaction, so emphasizing positive employee relations should go a long way toward avoiding disgruntled employees.
Allow Employees to Leave with Dignity
Unless you fancy a lawsuit or smackdown on social media, be sure to allow departing employees to leave your organization with their dignity intact. Employees who believe they were provided a gracious exit are far less likely to throw their employers under the double-decker bus than departing employees who were unceremoniously shown the door.
Guard Your Company’s Information
If you’re concerned about employees spilling the beans after leaving your employ, you should consider having employees sign a confidentiality agreement at the beginning of their employment. Furthermore, once an employee leaves, you should act quickly to change the employee’s passwords and require the return of company computers, keys, and other equipment the employee could use to access confidential information.
Get Your Lawyer Involved
If, despite your best efforts, your company information has been released or you’ve been defamed in the press, don’t be daft and try to go it alone. Ring your solicitor on the blower straight away so he or she can send out a cease and desist letter or take other ameliorative action to prevent further harm to your business and brand.
Alas, even the Queen cannot control what her wayward royals say or do once they leave the palace. But, following these tips will help you prevent disgruntled employees from talking poppycock about your organization. By doing so, everything will be tickety-boo, and you’ll feel chuffed to bits and save your company loads of quid.
Well, mates, I’m positively zonked after using all of this British slang for your amusement (or annoyance). Until next time … cheerio!
