Wednesday, August 21, 2013

The Toilet Guard Episode

There's a US firm that sells trendy clothing in Germany....Hollister.  At some point, management made a decision that employees of the store....could only go to the store toilet....if accompanied by a store guard.  They would be marched (I can only assume), while the guard waited outside the toilet door.

What Hollister would say in public was that they had noticed toilet doors broken, and decided increased security was required.

So you can imagine the hostile nature of employees, and this escort game.  It ended up going to the German Labor Court.  Usually, when some episode gets that bad....and you are in the Labor Court, it's rare that a company wins.  Yesterday, the Labor Court announced that the episode had been cancelled, and that the company was cooperating and changing their policy completely.

I would imagine that the public sensational news reached the HR folks in Hollister, and everyone was sitting there a bit nervous because if they were asked if management was ever escorted to toilets.....they'd have to admit they weren't.

I sat and pondered over this.  The sad part to this story is that some security company has this contract, and their guards had an essential part to their job....escorting folks to the toilet.  Personally, if I were a security guard....that's about the last thing that I'd want anyone to know what I do....during the course of a regular day.

You come home.....your wife asks "how was work"?  You stand there and note that you escorted fourteen people today to the toilet amongst the various tasks.  She might ask if they did mostly a number one or mostly a number two.  You will stand there for a second and admit that you didn't really notice.  Months into a job like this.....your security boss will determine that you are worthy of a promotion....mostly based on your toilet escort accomplishments.  This would likely be the point where you give up the job, and return to Red Bay to dig up septic tanks or do muffler repair.

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