Most PR agencies are pretty responsible in how they treat people when they leave. Sure, some can take it a little bit personally, but given it’s a people business that’s only natural, to a degree.

But some agencies are just plain idiotic and let the industry down with how they handle the situation, and can bear a grudge for no justifiable reason.

I’m thankful that I haven’t witnessed much of this sort of thing in my career. I’ve talked to people who’ve had some pretty nasty experiences so I’m fully aware that some shenanigans go on – people not getting paid what they’re owed, getting the cold shoulder, being given guilt trips and the like.

So a recent situation that cropped up amazed me in its new depths of stupidity. Some context first: it’s common for an agency PR to get asked at some stage why they left their previous job. The majority of us are charitable and professional – even if the experience was not a happy one, we’ll typically make reference to it not being the right fit, wanting to work on different types of clients, the desire to work more on strategic counsel versus purely on events and stunts, time for a fresh challenge, etc. There is nothing to gain from running agencies down.

A contact of mine thought the same. In a recent conversation with a former client, she was asked the question and said much of the above. She gave a diplomatic answer that was a fair reflection of her reasons for leaving and what type of agency she wanted to join, which avoided (she assured me) the finer, gory points of why she really decided to leave the old job.

Having heard about this, the head of that agency then called her current employer’s office in a rage, threatening legal action for defamation, slander and libel (advice: read the scope of the Magistrates Court Act 1980 so you actually know your arse from your elbow about the basics of this area of the law, which as a senior PR you should really know already). Not only does this smack of paranoia, it shows utter mistrust in – and respect for – people who used to be colleagues. If you can behave like that now, God only knows how you conducted yourself when they were actually on your payroll.

Point: people will leave jobs, and the vast majority of them will be professional when in the future they’re asked why. Bosses should get a grip and focus on making their business a place where people want to work, rather than acting like vile children when someone seeks green pastures.