Question

Now let's say you hire the former employee of your competitor (without having had that conversation about the laptop or the other proposal) and one day, the new hire dumps a stack of paper on your desk with no explanation. It turns out to be the competitor's proposal. What do you do and why?

Answer 1

Assuming the stack of paper dumped on my desk is the proposal to join the competitor in his Organization, I shall believe it is the tactic of ‘Job poaching’. When I hired my competitor’s former employee, such an individual willfully came to me I did not ask about any laptop or proposal because I had absolute no intentions of learning any details of the competitor from this individual. This individual is now my current employee and I shall ensure all ethical means to keep him engaged in my Organization. If the employee is still not comfortable, he has the option of quitting the job. But I shall also not fire him from job on the grounds that he is not willing to share any facts about his previous employer. To that extent, I believe on my Business ethics.

In this regard, I will not make myself available to the competitor if the competitor exercises job poaching for me via his former employee. However, if the employee has dealt with him under the table, then I shall also not hesitate to fire him on the grounds of treachery. Our Organization shall not compromise on business ethics on any ground. I will further not react to my competitor’s proposal. I shall simply clear the table and do away with the dumped stack. I do not need reasons to prove anything to my competitor. My cold-shoulder response shall be enough to make him understand my call.