USPS stays silent about internal racism allegations, Stellantis ends remote work push after management change

Greetings, comms pros! Let’s take a look at a few news stories from the past week and see what we can learn from them.

1. USPS faces accusations of retaliation and harassment after racism accusation

The United States Postal Service (USPS) is facing some serious allegations of workplace harassment and retaliation against an employee who reported a racist work environment.

According to The Guardian:

[Carla] Vinson, who is African American, overheard two white colleagues in conversation. Both used racial slurs, according to Vinson and a legal filing submitted by the USPS – which one of them would later repeat to her, directly, when recounting the exchange.

In an interview with the Guardian, Vinson claimed she had been subjected to “stalking, intimidation, bullying” after she complained about the incident. “I feel as though a company that I have invested so many years in has failed me,” she said.

Vinson went on to describe a situation in which her shifts were cut, her pay was lowered, and she faced social stigma in the office for reporting racist interactions. The USPS declined to comment, claiming it doesn’t talk about internal personnel matters.

Beyond the concerning issues of racism and retaliation in the workplace, , there’s another wrinkle here. As a government-run organization that every American has a stake in, the USPS has a responsibility to represent its audience and communicate better about this sort of situation.

As an organization that prides itself on having a workforce that’s more than half people of color, and touts its diversity pride, there is a mismatch in action and words. The best communicators match those two things successfully, and it’s apparent up and down the organizational culture. When they don’t match, the door is open for discord and a myriad of issues that can go right to the cultural core.

2. Stellantis goes back on work-from-home policy after changes at the top of the company

 It’s been an interesting last 12 months for Stellantis. From a UAW strike last October to a round of layoffs this past March, there’s been no shortage of comms practices to dissect from the automaker. Now organization plans to repeal its long-time remote work perk for corporate workers in the wake of a leadership shift and a not-so-rosy business outlook.

According to Bloomberg:

Stellantis will be revamping work spaces to welcome back employees, human resources chief Xavier Chereau said in an interview at the Paris car show. “We need to be pragmatic and we are recalibrating,” Chereau said. “If there’s a difficult project that needs attention, then it’s all week in the office.”

Stellantis Chief Executive Officer Carlos Tavares had championed remote work in the wake of Covid lockdowns and in the process drastically reduced office space and sold real estate assets to cut costs. Labor unions have criticized the intensity of the push, saying workers are often encouraged to stay away as much as possible.

“Given what the situation is today, I feel the need to be with my teams more often, to reassure, to communicate, to help make sense of things,” Chereau said.

There’s nothing wrong with a company calling its employees back to the office — the importance lies in how it’s done. When a leader like Tavares has supported remote work over the last few years, it’s easy to see how the ability to work away from an office has become part of the Stellantis work culture.

RTO needs to be communicated through a company’s culture, not because of a perceived downturn in business. If your organization wants to call employees back to the office in the name of increased collaboration, the message needs to match your corporate tone and values. Even if it needs to shift over time due to changing circumstances, always root it in what’s important to the collective workforce.

 3. Riot Games provides support for laid-off employees

Riot Games, the maker of the popular online battle game League of Legends, announced that it was conducting a round of layoffs. But instead of leaders claiming the move was necessitated by economic forces, studio co-founder Mac Merrill seems to feel differently.

According to Game Developer, Merrill said that the move was meant to help the company on the path forward. “This isn’t about reducing headcount to save money,” he added. “We’re not slowing down work on the game you love. We’re investing heavily in solving today’s challenges faster while also building for the future.”

Riot staff impacted by the layoffs will get a six-month severance package at the minimum, an annual bonus, healthcare coverage, and job placement assistance.

Layoffs aren’t a fun process for anyone, but as they go, Riot handled this well by communicating with clarity and charting a path forward while simultaneously taking care of those impacted. A powerful employer brand recognizes that the end of an employee life cycle is still part of that lifecycle, and employees need to be afforded the proper respect they deserve in communication and action throughout the entire process.

4. How about some good news?

• The SS United States, a relic of ocean liner history, will be sunk to create the world’s largest artificial reef off the coast of Florida.
• A Utah girl drew a picture of her dream playground, and her town built it.
• CBD has shown promise as a mosquito pesticide.
• Ragan Training is great for communications pros to find inspiration and resources.
• You should be rewarded for your work. Find out how to earn an award here!

Have a great weekend comms all-stars!

Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications. In his spare time he enjoys Philly sports, a good pint and ’90s trivia night.