Many, many, many people are still making silly decisions when they leave their jobs. It never ends, and it almost always comes back to bite you on the proverbial.
Whether it is saving/printing out client contacts lists (“These are my contacts, so I should be able to take them with me”) or forwarding work emails to personal emails (“I may need these for later”), these are deathly exercises that will not bode well for you heading into the next phase of your career.
And you can forget about receiving positive referees.
Another no-no is reaching out to clients before you leave and passing on contact details (“I’m just letting you know that I’m moving on, and my new contact details are below”).
Recently, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) dealt with a case involving a land acquisition and delivery manager who was dismissed for transferring confidential information outside his employer’s network after learning of his redundancy.
The man claimed he had saved the information, hoping to return to the organisation in the future to work on a specific project. This got us thinking!
Would you think about it? Steer clear? Move on?
We say it again: DON’T DO IT! Any of it!
Why?
✅ You are stealing from your employer
✅ You don’t own these relationships – they were formed while working in a job and belong to your employer
✅ You will be caught!
Always remember that clients value relationships. If you have a solid relationship with your contacts, they will find you! You shouldn’t need to pinch things from your employer to be successful in your new job. Let the relationships form naturally.
So, Why Do Employees Steal Data?
- Financial Gain: Selling data or using it for competitive advantage.
- Revenge: Malicious intent due to a poor exit or workplace conflict.
- Career Advancement: Bringing client lists or trade secrets to a new employer.
- Lack of Awareness: Employees may not understand that certain actions are illegal.
Legal and Ethical Consequences?
- Legal Repercussions: Breaching contracts or NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreements).
- Violation of Australian Laws: Privacy Act 1988 and Criminal Code Act 1995.
- Potential Civil Lawsuits and Criminal Charges: Hefty fines or jail time.
- Damage to Career: Losing reputation and future job opportunities, plus industry blacklisting for violating trust.
As always, come on and chickity-check yourself before you wreck yourself! ✊🏼
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