While branding a company as a desirable employer is important, sometimes the actions of one employee can have a major impact on the employer brand.

For example, in July 2011, a disgruntled Whole Foods employee anonymously released his resignation letter online . . . and the letter went viral. The former employee accused the company of adopting practices that violated their stated core philosophy

(e.g., throwing away food rather than donating it), including items that the former employee saw as HR failures (e.g., providing “poorly made, ugly” T-shirts as incentives, requesting employees call in when they will be late even though their lateness would still be documented, “discriminating against employees” by offering healthier employees discounts, etc.).70

a. Can employers prevent former employees from publicly shaming the organization?

a. In your opinion, were the HR concerns highlighted here indicative of a HR failure?

b. How can a company respond to these types of individual efforts that go viral?

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