There are so many times I wonder if the 1999 Office Space movie was purely generational. It’s a timeless ode to bad management. It’s a lesson for anyone in management or HR who thrives on corporate speak. If I’m honest, when I’ve found myself looking like one of the Bob’s – it’s a blaring signal to switch gears fast!

Office Space the movie in 202X …

A CEO of a major corporation is doing a positive thing. He’s inviting about a dozen front-line employees to a discussion about work. It’s the first time they have tried this approach, and it could be a good example of bringing the worker’s voice closer to the executive team and the boardroom.

Workers were nominated by their management teams based on their performance and perceived ability to contribute to the discussion.

What could go wrong? Right?

First, the front-line employees were asked to submit three questions in advance through their local HR rep.

Then, an HR rep was responsible for preparing the employees for the virtual meeting. The person trained the employees on the basics of zoom meetings. Unfortunately, the person assumed that most front-line employees need 101-level condescension to build skills rather than more effectively affirming capabilities.

Next, the HR person critiqued attire. No, not zoom shirts, but if the “associate” has the appropriate amount of badges and company gear. The proper unformed pieces, tenure badge, the employee of the month badge … you know, the modern-day equivalent of flair. (shout out to Office Space)

Then, there was a conversation about the questions submitted. The items were culled and edited by the local HR representative. This is one of the questions edited out:

The uncertainty of the economy and pandemic has created new norms. Not all of them are positive. What are the best things I can do to rethink our culture, given our new circumstances?

The given reason for cutting the question? It undermined local HR and management, and any self-motivated person should be able to figure this out independently.

The short story: the questions the CEO is receiving will be edited for palatability or censored in their entirety.

Now, let’s look at another example. Shawn Burcham at PFSbrands. A much smaller company that thrives on “straight talk”. The company has an open-book management system, and all employees know the economic health of the firm. More important than the open-book reporting is the distribution of leadership of specific budget lines. This gives people the power to collaborate and coordinate on forecasting the business. It is a mix of responsibility for delivering on your forecast and learning from failure when you don’t meet your projections.

Every month, Shawn hosts a straight-talk zone. Questions from employees are anonymously submitted and displayed word-for-word in the monthly all-hands meeting. Shawn addresses each one with straight-talk. He’s direct and could, at times, be perceived as harsh in his answers. But, people always know where he stands and what he thinks. Questions and feedback are actively solicited and valued. There is a risk of people being intimidated by the frank nature of this company. However, I believe this risk is something that is far easier to overcome than literal censorship or the comfort created by softening questions and answers.

Compare and contrast these two methods. What would you rather have in your organization? Straight-talk opportunities for Q&A that could be direct and harsh? Or faux transparency, where questions are culled and censored but polite and nice?

Tension and conflict should be a source for good. I’m going to give this major company CEO the benefit of the doubt and assume that he wants to do this to have a moment of connection and understanding. It may likely be a good connection opportunity. But, understanding and improvement will be quickly lost in a hierarchical bureaucracy.

But, my big question (I write sarcastically) – what HR person hasn’t watched Office Space? Let the mockery begin! (Note: I own a red Swingline stapler and yes, deserve mockery from time-to-time)

Lessons here? Don’t let HR edit the voice of the worker? Pick directness over niceness? How often do improvement opportunities get lost with work-based political hierarchies?

The big lesson is that organizational culture will become dysfunctional if not intentionally designed and worked on every day. And, corporate transparency only works if it is honest.