Stephen Carter, Chief Executive of Australian recruitment firm Sharp and Carter, got himself in trouble after a speech during his company’s Christmas party held on Zoom that turned out to be rather funny. The audio was leaked after he spoke to the members of the firm.
During his speech, Carter openly talked about some personal issues like the usage of drugs and even about infidelity that has made an out cry among both the staff and the general public. Many have taken to the comment of the Chief Executive in regards to drug abuse during recreation and also infidelity in the work station.
One of the most shocking aspects of the Zoom speech was Carter‘s personal admission regarding drugs. The CEO was reported to say, “I do drugs myself; I just don‘t do it at work functions,” with a warning that though he has no qualms against recreational drug usage himself, it is strictly out of the question at work. He issued a stern warning to his employees that the person found using drugs at his company‘s Christmas party would lose their job. “If you take drugs at the Christmas party, you will be fired.“. It‘s a really strong rule,” Carter emphasised.
Although Carter clarified that he was speaking from a personal standpoint and was not condoning drug use in the workplace, his remarks sent a concerning message regarding the tone and context of his statement.
Carter also pointed to the sensitive issue of infidelity as he cautioned employees that it was not a wise move to have affairs while being in committed relationships by dating their colleagues. He indicated, “If you want to cheat on your partner, I would recommend 2024 has been a stark reminder it is probably not wise to cheat on your partner with someone at work.” Although saying that, his words fell inappropriately to certain ears, and it thus brought about more controversy for him.
The CEO also advised employees to look for a partner at work if they were single, as many people find love at their workplaces.
Carter later clarified that the Zoom speech, which he had been delivering annually for the past seven years, was meant to be humorous and to highlight the dangers of holiday parties at work. He said that he had never thought that the speech would be taken literally or passed on beyond the company. Carter in an interview with Herald Sun said that if he knew the speech was going to cause such a huge reaction, he would have expressed his comments differently.
He insisted that he did not intend to support bad behaviour and that the final objective was to look after his employees. “The intention is to look after and care for my people so they don‘t do damage to themselves and others,” he said.
To the Bigger Picture
Carter added that the company, which has 203 employees, also suffers from the same societal issues that plague everyone, such as drug abuse and adultery. He wanted to confront them publicly, rather than to avoid them and have to face the consequences afterwards. But now, the leaking of his speech raises questions on professionalism, whether personal issues like this should be discussed in a corporate environment.
While Stephen Carter’s intent was care and humour, the fallout of his words speaks loudly enough to show that there‘s a thin line between work culture and professional boundaries. While this debate continues, it leaves people to wonder whether CEOs and leaders need to be more sensitive to their choice of words, especially when discussing sensitive topics in public forums.
