In China the Government has cracked down on feminism. Words relating to feminism online are censured. The response by bloggers has been to replace the words with rhyming slang, so feminist becomes, “ women’s fist”. So what would a subversive social media posting critical of an organisations leadership read like using rhyming slang? More about knitting Senior management have recently raised with HR their concern about the number of employees who have embraced knitting. This is a concern for management since whilst still doing their work employees no longer appear as focused, motivated or keen to please. Clearly people have a life outside work and what they do in their own time is their business but the adoption of knitting is effecting performance and targets are being missed. Managers have asked HR how they can stop employees knitting. Should they get tough over failure to meet targets? If some one met targets in the past can they insist they continue to do so? If employees prefer to knit rather than show commitment to the job, team and organisation can they be demoted? What about refusing to promote people if they seem more interested in knitting than advancing their career? So how should you respond if your boss accuses you of Knitting? What can you do if you think you have been over looked for a promotion because you are a knitter?
First never admit you are a knitter. We reject the term. Secondly you can not be disciplined or sacked for being a knitter. As long as you do what is in your JD. How should you respond if your manager says you used to get through more work? Simply point out that you are working the hours you are contracted to. You can ask if there are any concerns about the quality of your work.
What should you say if your manager asks you if you are unhappy at work or if anything out side of work is bothering you? Just because you are a knitter doesn’t mean you are unhappy at work in fact since you became a knitter work maybe more, if not enjoyable , tolerable. And just because you are now a knitter doesn’t mean you are experiencing problems out side of work. You may , like many of your colleagues, have simply decided that following Covid your personal priorities have changed. You defiantly don’t have to justify that to your line manager. Our advice is don’t get sucked into a debate.
Finally some colleagues have expressed concern about being discriminated against due to being a knitter. We certainly have some anecdotal evidence of this but we also have noticed a number of managers have recently adopted knitting so may be attitudes are changing.
Blair Mcpherson www.blairmcpherson.co.uk
