Brandjack News

By Quentin Langley

We have all done it – hit the wrong button when sending an email, that is, not fired 1300 people by accident.

Replying to one person when you meant to reply to all is embarrassing. Replying to all with something confidential meant for one person is worse. I have watched email boxes clog when someone set 'absence manager' to reply to all. His computer replied to an all staff email with a message about his absence. Since that went to all staff, his computer replied to that too, and so on.

In this case, a message sent to one person, who already knew he was leaving, was accidentally sent to everyone. It was a terse reminder about clearing his desk and handing in company property and passwords. It is not even clear that the intended recipient had been fired. He may have been leaving for another job. And, I hope we can presume, that if he was fired, the matter was handled rather more sensitively than by a pointed email. In the case of Aviva, the accidental email may have hit home rather more than it might in other circumstances because the company is undergoing a major reorganisation.

This one fits into the same category as any number of other blunders. Digital channels make easier to send a message to everyone than it is to target it carefully. PR people who send press releases to every journalist they have ever heard of should know better. Facilities managers who tell the whole building about the mezzanine floor radiators need training. People who tweet "VodafoneUK is fed up with dirty homo's" deserve firing. I suppose that HR people who accidentally fire all the staff – even when a grovelling apology follows minutes later – probably need one of those written warnings that HR people love so much.