Has anyone ever had a positive outcome from putting in a complaint about upper management? Is giving honest feedback to management useless? Detrimental, even?
This is tricky. It really depends on your manager, your relationship with them, both of your relationships with HR and other executives, and each person’s perceived performance within the company. That’s a long list of variables – most of which are completely outside your control. And I’ve seen situations like this backfire more than once.
Rather than complain about a manager, I’d recommend protecting yourself: document everything in writing, keep printed copies of important correspondence off site, build relationships with other managers, and try to move to another department. No harm, no foul. Otherwise, start looking externally and leave the situation behind.
HR protects managers – not employees. In fashion especially, I’ve seen executives abuse resources and get away with it, and I’ve seen employees abused while HR covers for the manager, even in cases of harassment or a hostile work environment. HR will pretend to care only as much as it serves to protect the company.
If you’re dealing with someone narcissistic or misogynistic, it’s even worse. People like that often get far in their careers because they’re skilled at covering their tracks and triangulating others. It can take years for them to slip up in a way that actually carries consequences, and even then, they’ll usually throw multiple people under the bus to save themselves. These individuals have no shame and even fewer morals.
Unless you absolutely don’t need the job, a graceful exit or a move to another department is almost always the best path. NEVER TRUST HR. Going to HR is the kiss of death; they serve the company, not you. If it becomes a legal matter, you must tell the truth, but if it’s not legal (yet), saying as little as possible is basic self-preservation.
If you’re financially independent, planning to leave the industry, or otherwise insulated from the fallout, then you have the rare freedom to be the “sacrificial lamb.” But even then, it’s rarely worth it. One person is unlikely to change a toxic culture; dysfunction usually flows from the top, and if leadership hasn’t addressed it by now, they likely don’t care and prefer to look the other way.
I have seen poor managers quietly transferred to another department – just passing the problem along. But I have never seen a situation where giving brutally honest feedback benefited the employee. More often, it makes things awkward at best and hostile at worst.
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I almost went to HR last week to discuss my manager who is abusive and actually losing his mind. I thought better of it though and canceled my appointment. GenX said everything I would say only more eloquently. The only time it might be beneficial is if you know you’re being set up for a layoff and you need to prove you were trying to resolve issues. And then it’s really only a negotiation tool to demand a larger severance package. Know that if you’re seen as a complainer you will end up on the next layoff list. Anti-retaliation policies mean nothing.
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