A note to all employers / team leaders
This is why you are ALWAYS open with your staff about ANY open positions in your company, and if it is in a different office, be specific which office! The simple fact of the matter is that employees rely on their job to feed their families and pay their rent. Without proper information about open positions (and especially one that has not been internally announced) they are likely to become paranoid and even resort to crazy acts of desperation or "revenge" in cases where they feel or indeed there job is being taken away from them...
I am not trying to justify it, I am merely saying... this is a real risk factor that employers everywhere should consider any time they advertise a job. Have an internal bulletin board, or simply mail it out to the staff - say who is doing the employing, which office they will work in, and what the job description is... Furthermore, don't go over the top with secrecy when engaging business discussions with other companies unless its absolutely necessary (if there is an NDA in place for example)... people always fear the worst when they know something is going on but the boss doesn't tell them... ironically, 90% of the time, whatever it is will not effect that person..... Avoid open plan offices as much as possible - if this is not possible, encourage employees to use a meeting room if they need to have private business discussions. Most discussions in an open plan office must be whispered, as not to disturb other employees... employees in close proximity can sometimes get the idea that it is them whom is the subject of discussion... and then of course, the ensuing paranoia.... I have seen this happen so many times..... Just sit down and think about all the times YOU have been paranoid, what caused it, and what changes you can make as a boss to prevent that from occurring in your office....
//Steve
