Workplace loyalty is dead — and so is bargaining power

?Corporate employees seem to be losing ground in the face of emerging cutthroat management practices. In a lengthy memo to his managers published in Business Insider, CEO of telecom giant AT&T John Stankey offers a grim look into the coming years of the corporate workplace. Following the results of an employee engagement survey, Stankey blatantly declared that workplace loyalty “is dead.”

A “conscious shift” is underway. The unanticipated memo outlines multiple changes in AT&T’s values, rejecting loyalty as one of them — a once highly valued element of workplace culture. Stankey addresses expectations, stating that the company has “consciously shifted away from some of these elements.” He makes clear what employees should expect, underlining basic workplace rights like a “professional, well-maintained, and functional facility.”

The undercurrents of RTO mandates. Since the recent push for RTO among employers, opinions on remote and in-office work have clashed, with many employees leaning towards hybrid work models and consequently quitting their jobs. In response to complaints about his five-day RTO mandate, Stankey explicates in his memo that in-office presence is a non-negotiable as he points out to dissenting employees the “disconnect” between them and their “current professional choice.”

If that doesn’t make clear how expendable he views his employees, Stankey goes on to add that they have “every right to find a career that is suitable to your aspirations and needs.” This sentiment aligns with recent speculations that RTO mandates are covert shortcuts to layoffs.

Are Machiavellian CEOs making a comeback? The clear-cut dictations revealed by Stankey’s memo signify a striking utilization of fear to make sure his demands are being met. While methods of employee motivation have never been nailed down, the use of fear is a tactic that has failed over the course of history. Regardless, managers seem to be taking advantage of the white collar recession, believing that a few subtle threats won’t prompt employees to leave. And if they do leave, they have a safety net in AI — and a smaller workforce means less money spent.