Telstra staffers told to talk proud

Stuart Corner
Tuesday, 20 January 2009 03:06

IT Industry - Strategy

Telstra CEO, Sol Trujillo has launched a new section on the company's Nowwearetalking web site inviting Telstra employees to share, in their own words," their pride and passion for Telstra."

According to Trujillo "Telstra Proud enables Telstra people to share in their own words, their stories, their observations and their feelings about their work and how Telstra's products, services and the commitment of their colleagues are changing people's lives for the better."

NWAT claims that "Staff have already come forward with their stories of the pride they feel when they see colleagues who go the extra mile for customers, when Telstra develops innovative new products that improve people's lives, and the way Telstra contributes to the communities in which we all live."

The new feature has gone live with a handful of expressions of 'Telstra Pride' but also a couple of highly cynical posts in the accompanying comments section.

One, from a Matt Cameron says: "This video is merely an attempt to advocate against reality. The reality is the majority of Telstra Staff are not HAPPY as documented through many many sources. All I see is Mr Trujillo sucking up to the many many non-supporters he has. I say invoke section 8.3 in his employment contract.

The other, from a George Trayner, is  even more cynical:
'Is this to try and counteract the bad press resulting from Telstra's debacle with the NBN, the rolling strikes being conducted by many of it's 'proud' employees regarding renegotiation of work agreements, the tanking share price, or just the whole nuts and bolts train wreck that is currently Telstra?

"I wonder if Telstra's spin merchants really understand that most do not believe these Orwellian attempts at spin. The general public, including the 'Mom and Dad shareholders' recognise that the speeches, the videos, the 'personal testimonials' are constructs of Telstra's PR dept, no more - no less.

"And they most likely realise that Telstra is relying on employees who would be either most reluctant to decline an invitation (damaging to their careers), or who thought they could further their careers by participating. And that by continuing with its cynical, transparent attempts to alter public perception of reality, it shows itself to be a manipulative, deceitful corporation that not only attempts to mislead its shareholders but also the general public, insulting their intelligence in the process.