Sure pay someone a truck load of money you can't use for anything because everything they do at this point will be used over at Apple to kill what's left of BB. This was a complete waste of resources. It's no wonder BB is going out of business.
People need to pour out of a black bus with signs that read, "Wake Up."
The smart money would have been to let him go then a couple years later sue Apple in east Texas over some obscure patent that the guy worked on while at BB that smells kinda similar to something that Apple announced after they hired the guy despite clear evidence that work on that Apple announcement preceded this guy and is not related to his job.
You're talking about a company that won't be around in two years... if fact, "Long Term Planning" at BB is anything beyond the current quarter...
Could be BBY is reading for sale and having key employees jump ship in the middle of negotiations with a buyer is something they could want to avoid.
This is bad publicity though. They would have looked better if they were magnanimous about it. But no matter how you look at it, it looks really bad when a newly promoted employee jumps ship shortly after the promotion.
The delay ages whatever the employee knows by six months. So what he or she carries to a competitor is worth less regarding strategy etc. The tech skills are, of course, intact, but corporate plans will have aged.
That doesn't mean anything. He's not being hired because Blackberry has some amazing work that Apple needs. Apple is hiring him for his skills—the same reason that Blackberry wanted to promote him.
Look, it's very rare that someone is hired away from a competitor because of some specific knowledge they have. Yes, it happens, but rarely. If they have knowledge that the competitor wants, it's experiential knowledge, not specific product, or research knowledge. They look at a guy, and think, (s)he's pretty good, (s)he knows what (s)he's doing, (s)he's got the experience we need.
Occasionally, a company tries to get a competitive advantage by hiring someone they hope can give them the keys to the kingdom, but here? What could Blackberry possibly have that Apple (or any company) cares about?
He did sign a contract, I'm sure he'd sue BB if they didn't hold up their end.
Sure, but in the real world, trying to force someone to stay is a losing proposition. You need to have penalties in the contract if they do leave, but you can't force them to stay. Do you really want someone who badly wants to leave? Will he point out errors he finds in plans that he would have otherwise been eager to correct, or will he let them go? I'm not even going to suggest sabotage, but I've heard of it happening.
I understand Blackberry wanting him to stay, hence the 6 month requirement. But they needed to do something else. If he received a bonus for the promotion, then that bonus should be delayed until the 6 month period was over. Only a partial, or no, raise should be offered for the time, with the rest given as soon as the time is over.
There are a number of things that could be done. If they gave him stock, as usually happens for major promotions, that too could be delayed until the time period ends. All of this would fly, even here in the States. But suing him to stay, makes no sense. If Apple really wants him, they will wait a few more months. Look at how long Angela Ahrens has taken to join the company.
He signed it for a promotion. So the company can force him to stay, but no one that was laid off can force the company to let them keep their jobs? One way thinking...
Well, not really. But they can't force him to stay, just to not move to the new job until the time is up. They've already described him as a "former employee". They understand they can't force him to stay. He can just stay home for the rest of the time, or go to Disneyworld, or whatever. What are they going to do, withhold his pay and medical benefits?
That doesn't mean anything. He's not being hired because Blackberry has some amazing work that Apple needs. Apple is hiring him for his skills—the same reason that Blackberry wanted to promote him.
Look, it's very rare that someone is hired away from a competitor because of some specific knowledge they have. Yes, it happens, but rarely. If they have knowledge that the competitor wants, it's experiential knowledge, not specific product, or research knowledge. They look at a guy, and think, (s)he's pretty good, (s)he knows what (s)he's doing, (s)he's got the experience we need.
Occasionally, a company tries to get a competitive advantage by hiring someone they hope can give them the keys to the kingdom, but here? What could Blackberry possibly have that Apple (or any company) cares about?
It addresses the general reason for such a long notice requirement being in a contract.
Comments
People need to pour out of a black bus with signs that read, "Wake Up."
You're talking about a company that won't be around in two years... if fact, "Long Term Planning" at BB is anything beyond the current quarter...
I would have said the same, but maybe CarPlay will give them a lifeline.
Why would any company want to hold on to an employee who wants to leave anyway ...
This is bad publicity though. They would have looked better if they were magnanimous about it. But no matter how you look at it, it looks really bad when a newly promoted employee jumps ship shortly after the promotion.
That doesn't mean anything. He's not being hired because Blackberry has some amazing work that Apple needs. Apple is hiring him for his skills—the same reason that Blackberry wanted to promote him.
Look, it's very rare that someone is hired away from a competitor because of some specific knowledge they have. Yes, it happens, but rarely. If they have knowledge that the competitor wants, it's experiential knowledge, not specific product, or research knowledge. They look at a guy, and think, (s)he's pretty good, (s)he knows what (s)he's doing, (s)he's got the experience we need.
Occasionally, a company tries to get a competitive advantage by hiring someone they hope can give them the keys to the kingdom, but here? What could Blackberry possibly have that Apple (or any company) cares about?
Sure, but in the real world, trying to force someone to stay is a losing proposition. You need to have penalties in the contract if they do leave, but you can't force them to stay. Do you really want someone who badly wants to leave? Will he point out errors he finds in plans that he would have otherwise been eager to correct, or will he let them go? I'm not even going to suggest sabotage, but I've heard of it happening.
I understand Blackberry wanting him to stay, hence the 6 month requirement. But they needed to do something else. If he received a bonus for the promotion, then that bonus should be delayed until the 6 month period was over. Only a partial, or no, raise should be offered for the time, with the rest given as soon as the time is over.
There are a number of things that could be done. If they gave him stock, as usually happens for major promotions, that too could be delayed until the time period ends. All of this would fly, even here in the States. But suing him to stay, makes no sense. If Apple really wants him, they will wait a few more months. Look at how long Angela Ahrens has taken to join the company.
Well, not really. But they can't force him to stay, just to not move to the new job until the time is up. They've already described him as a "former employee". They understand they can't force him to stay. He can just stay home for the rest of the time, or go to Disneyworld, or whatever. What are they going to do, withhold his pay and medical benefits?
That doesn't mean anything. He's not being hired because Blackberry has some amazing work that Apple needs. Apple is hiring him for his skills—the same reason that Blackberry wanted to promote him.
Look, it's very rare that someone is hired away from a competitor because of some specific knowledge they have. Yes, it happens, but rarely. If they have knowledge that the competitor wants, it's experiential knowledge, not specific product, or research knowledge. They look at a guy, and think, (s)he's pretty good, (s)he knows what (s)he's doing, (s)he's got the experience we need.
Occasionally, a company tries to get a competitive advantage by hiring someone they hope can give them the keys to the kingdom, but here? What could Blackberry possibly have that Apple (or any company) cares about?
It addresses the general reason for such a long notice requirement being in a contract.