by Anonymous on 2005.11.25 03:47PM EST  |  

Does Joe's anecdote ring true? Absolutely. In my workplace, 99% of the people just want to do their jobs and not stick their necks out. Are they afraid to speak out even when they are protected by solid labor-relations regulations? Yes, they fear retaliation. For every employee who voices an objection, there are 20 others who think the same thing but would never dare say it.
Many managers take disagreements personally. And they absolutely hate to have to say a simple, “Oops, I made a mistake. It's not A, it's B.” Not all managers–some are truly outstanding–but quite a few.
NSPS and MaxHR make the system more authoritarian. You can tell by reading the regs and listening to the administration's rhetoric that this philosophy is based on a fantasy that the person at the top is the wise, all-knowing leader. Under this philosophy, any arguments with management are just seen as a roadblock, an obstacle, a time-waster, and so NSPS and similar systems concentrate the power at the top and reduce the avenues by which it can be questioned. But I think this is a false premise. There is much valuable information at the bottom of the pyramid that those at the top should listen to. And if a manager is corrupt or incompetent, it is in the public interest for employees to be able to reveal the problem without fear of retaliation.