I am also out of the electronics industry. Went through a layoff where I had to cut back some of my people. I lost a $30,000.00 design from one ticked off designer. So the coin flips two ways doesn’t it? Each company is different and operates in a manner they believe is best for them. I will say that this was a complete surprise to me. I had the best design staff on the west coast and we were all friends and they were payed higher than any other designers in the company.
And you chose not to prosecute the former employee for the illegality of stealing 30 grand? Why?
And yes, I believe that even with the potential for loss, businesses have as much a moral obligation to inform their employees as the employees have, to inform each other
of a parting of the ways. Calls for “loyalty” flip both ways too.
This talk about employees who damage corporate assets has a solution: the law. If the company doesn’t choose to pursue it, that’s their problem.