Well, it seems that Dell just does not want to stay out of the Spotlight this year with their Problems.
I predicted back then that it was a Terrible Idea that would horribly backfire on them, and they proved me Correct.
A good rule when it comes to Leadership is if you feel like you must threaten your employees to get what you want, you've already Lost as a Leader.
Now, Dell is making headlines again with the release of their Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS).
Now, an eNPS is an indicator of the Health of an Organization.
Why?
Well, if your Employees are Willing to say great things about your company, they are likely also going to be doing great work for the company.
However, if your Employees are saying Horrible things about your company, they are likely also Disengaged, Actively Disengaged, or in Dell's Cases openly Insubordinate.
Really, the Health of your Employees will determine the Health of the Organization.
If the Majority of your Employees Hate their job, you can be sure that Customers will be Frustrated with the Company as well.
So, what exactly happened to Dell's eNPS?
It dropped from 63 to 48 in One Year.
That is a Record if I've ever heard of one!
A few points in one direction or another is common, but a whole 15-point drop?
I've "Never" seen that before.
However, this is not what concerns me the most.
What could be more concerning than a 15-point eNPS Drop?
What could potentially be Worse than getting a Failing Score?
How the Company is Responding to the Drop.
This is what a Dell Spokesperson had to say about the Score Drop.
"While our score did drop, if you look at the Perceptyx blog, you will see that Dell is still well above industry averages."
So their Best Defense for a Drastic Drop is saying that others are Worse?
Sorry to break it to you Dell, but saying you're not "As Bad" as other companies is not a measure of how "Good" you are.
A Failing Score is still a Failing Score, "Regardless" of what the "Industry Average" is.
It actually Reveals something quite Horrible about the "Industry" as a Whole.
If a 48 is considered "Above Average", how Awful is the Industry Overall?
The answer is not hard to find - Bad.
However, this isn't surprising when we look around the Business Landscape.
When 80% of people are in Burnout, it is not surprising to see and hear that the "Industry Average" is Horrific.
There is a great quote that works well with this situation.
"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." - Jiddu Krishnamurti
When you are saying you are "Less Sick" than those who are Terribly Sick, it doesn't make you Healthy.
That is where Dell seems to be Finding Itself.
When you consider the policies that Dell has enacted recently, it is very fair to say that the Environment is Extremely Toxic.
So Toxic that Employees have been Actively Speaking Out against the Organization's Decisions.
As I've said in previous articles, these Employees see themselves as Heroes against an Unjust System.
With Dell being Unable to Defend themselves with more than, "Well others are worse", it seems to show that the Employees are Justified in Speaking Out.
If these types of Trends Continue, which is Inevitable unless Burnout is Fixed, you can be sure that more Employees will rise against their Toxic Employers.
Not only at Dell but at all the other "Worse" Organizations as well.