Radio Shack laid off 400 workers from its labor force yesterday. Perhaps taking their role as a technology company too seriously, they notified the workers of their termination by e-mail:

RadioShack Corp. notified about 400 workers by e-mail that they were being dismissed immediately as part of planned job cuts.

Employees at the Fort Worth headquarters got messages Tuesday morning saying: “The work force reduction notification is currently in progress. Unfortunately your position is one that has been eliminated.” ...

Derrick D'Souza, a management professor at the University of North Texas, said he had never heard of such a large number of terminated employees being notified electronically. He said it could be seen as dehumanizing to employees. “If I put myself in their shoes, I'd say, 'Didn't they have a few minutes to tell me?”' Prof. D'Souza said.

Consumers may want to rethink their loyalty to Radio Shack after this decision. If this is how they treat their employees, imagine what Radio Shack thinks of their customers.

It's an inexcusable business decision. Managers who lack the fortitude to communicate terminations directly should not serve in that capacity. I can tell you from long experience how upsetting a termination can be for the manager involved, but in well over a decade of management, I have never once been tempted to do it by mail, e-mail, or semaphore. Even the worst employees deserve to have their manager take the time to sit down with them and explain the decision to terminate employment.

I doubt this will get very wide press coverage, or even generate much comment or criticism in today's business climate. The professionals I know as my peers would be embarrassed to be associated with such a heartless and cruel method of downsizing for any reason, but shame appears to be waning as a quality in direct proportion to the waxing of mindless impersonality.

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» You've Got Pink Slips: from Pajamas Media
RadioShack fired 400 workers by e-mail: "If this is how they treat their employees, imagine what Radio Shack thinks of their customers." (Captain's Quarters)... [Read More]

Tracked on August 31, 2006 6:13 AM

» You've Got Pink Slips: from Pajamas Media
RadioShack fired 400 workers by e-mail: "If this is how they treat their employees, imagine what Radio Shack thinks of their customers." (Captain's Quarters)... [Read More]

Tracked on August 31, 2006 6:16 AM

» ANOTHER REASON TO NEVER CHECK YOUR EMAIL from Roth & Company, P.C.
News Item: RadioShack Corp. notified about 400 workers by e-mail that they were being dismissed immediately as part of planned... [Read More]

Tracked on August 31, 2006 7:38 AM

» Termination by semaphor from Strange Women Lying in Ponds
Captain Ed takes Radio Shack to task for its inexcusable decision to notify 400 employees of their termination by email. Ed writes:I can tell you from long experience how upsetting a termination can be for the manager involved, but in [Read More]

Tracked on August 31, 2006 8:02 AM

» You've Got Pink Slips: from Pajamas Media
RadioShack fired 400 workers by e-mail: "If this is how they treat their employees, imagine what Radio Shack thinks of their customers." (Captain's Quarters)... [Read More]

Tracked on August 31, 2006 8:46 AM

» Termination by semaphor from Strange Women Lying in Ponds
Captain Ed takes Radio Shack to task for its inexcusable decision to notify 400 employees of their termination by email. Ed writes:I can tell you from long experience how upsetting a termination can be for the manager involved, but in [Read More]

Tracked on August 31, 2006 10:20 AM

» Inevitable from The Florida Masochist
Technology like emails have become prevalent today, that employee news had to start being delivered that way. Doing firings or lay-offs in such a fashion was only inevitable. [Read More]

Tracked on August 31, 2006 11:00 AM

» How not to run a business from Public Secrets: from the files of the Irishspy
Just what idiot at RadioShack thought this was a good idea? RadioShack fires 400 employees by e-mail AUG. 30 6:54 P.M. ET RadioShack Corp. notified about 400 workers by e-mail that they were being dismissed immediately as part of planned [Read More]

Tracked on August 31, 2006 12:03 PM

» What Was Radio Shack Thinking? from Financial Rounds
This is a bit off the usual Financial Rounds beaten trail, but some things just deserve comment. RadioShack (ticker: RSH) has had some hard times lately - sales have been down, and the price of their common stock has dropped from the $20 range in ear... [Read More]

Tracked on August 31, 2006 12:49 PM