After enduring the relentless cruelty of Gerald and Derek for several days, Mary began to realize that the tension was gradually surpassing her limits. She understood that in order to assess the severity of the issue, she needed to find out whether the company's internal system was still strong enough to protect its employees.
With this thought in mind, Mary made a bold decision to meet with Karen Mitchell, the Human Resources Director of Williams Innovations, who was directly responsible for safeguarding the rights and safety of the staff.
Karen Mitchell was a well-known figure in the human resources field, with nearly 20 years of experience. She was famous for her strict leadership style, always placing the company's interests above all else. However, Mary remembered that in the past Karen had been a manager who was dedicated and genuinely concerned about every employee, no matter their position.
For that reason, Mary had high hopes for this meeting, although she still felt a bit hesitant, thinking about the possibility of disappointment.
That afternoon, Mary gathered her courage and walked into the Human Resources office on the 20th floor. The office was tastefully arranged, cozy, with lush green plants and framed pictures of outstanding employees hanging neatly on the walls as proof of an ideal work environment. But Mary knew that the truth was sometimes far from the polished exterior.
Karen Mitchell sat behind a large desk, her blonde hair neatly tied up, her sharp features and stern glasses giving her a professional and reliable appearance at first glance. Karen radiated professionalism and trustworthiness, but the coldness in her eyes seemed to have lost the warmth Mary once knew.
Upon seeing Mary enter, Karen merely glanced up briefly before turning back to her computer screen as if Mary didn't exist.
"What do you need?" Karen spoke in a calm voice, but there was a distinct coldness.
Mary gently replied, "I'm here to report some serious issues that I and several other janitorial staff have been enduring recently."
Karen paused, looking up at Mary more intently, her expression a mixture of surprise and slight annoyance. "You're Janet, the night-shift janitor, right?" Karen asked, purposely emphasizing the words night-shift janitor as a reminder of Mary's position.
Mary nodded calmly. "Yes, I'm Janet. I would like to report the mistreatment and humiliation that I and my colleagues have been subjected to by some of the senior management."
Karen silently observed Mary for a few seconds, then crossed her arms, sighed, and said, "All right, Janet. Keep it brief. I have many important things to do."
Mary felt a bit deflated by this attitude but still maintained a polite tone. "Specifically, Gerald Hayes and Derek Phillips. They continuously make unreasonable demands, forcing us to redo tasks over and over again, deliberately creating situations to publicly humiliate us in front of others."
Karen raised an eyebrow, her gaze cold and skeptical. "Are you sure you're not overreacting, Janet? In the workplace, sometimes leaders have to be strict to ensure work quality. This isn't anything new."