Management says thank you cards should be used to improve morale – but staff say they are being treated like toddlers

ABC staff are reeling from the latest Utopia-style move from managing director, Michelle Guthrie, which asks them to improve morale by thanking each other with cheesy cards featuring a character called Larry.

If one of Aunty’s 5,000-odd staff has been an “awesome” employee they may receive one of a range of bespoke cards: a People Focused Larry card, an Open & Transparent Larry card, a Straight Talking Larry card or an Accountable Larry card.

“I am incredibly proud of the work you do every day,” Guthrie told staff. “The high levels of trust we enjoy from our audiences is a tribute to the talent, dedication, and high-quality work of our teams right across the country and the world.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Another of the Larry card series. The union says staff have ridiculed the campaign which comes as jobs are being lost and funding is being cut. Photograph: ABC

“This program is for the entire organisation and is an opportunity for us to celebrate each other’s achievements. You’re invited to do so by nominating an individual or team who demonstrate the ABC Principles and deserve acknowledgment for their outstanding work.”

The secretary of the ABC section of the Community and Public Sector Union, Sinddy Ealy, said the email had evoked great derision and anger from staff who felt they were being treated like toddlers at a time when morale was already low.

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“It’s appalling judgement by the ABC executive,” Ealy said. “ABC staff are trying to do more with less every single day because of the Coalition’s funding cuts – the last thing they want to see is money being spent on things like this. They want to see more staff employed, more training and better leadership, to be frank.”

The broadcaster told Senate estimates in May that it had shed 1,012 jobs since 2014.

Last month the ABC’s Sydney newsroom put out an urgent call to all state news directors for staff who can fly in to fill “significant gaps in the production roster” for the 7pm news bulletin after letting too many journalists take redundancy.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest ‘I have no idea what they’re thinking upstairs,’ says one staffer about ABC management. Photograph: ABC

In June, Guthrie announced a set of “guiding principles” she wanted to staff to abide by, called ABC Principles. They include: “We think whole of ABC first”; “We work across teams to get the best outcome for the organisation and our audiences” and “When we fail, we stop, assess, learn and move on”.

On Tuesday, Guthrie emailed staff about a recognition program which includes rewarding staff who exhibit ABC Principles with an award – the prize includes a set of Google headphones – and a competition to name the new employee recognition awards. The names you can vote for are: Props, Aunty Awards, Kudos or The Gunstons, a tribute to comedian and ABC star Norman Gunston.

One staffer told the Guardian: “It’s like The Wiggles for grown-ups. I mean, who the fuck is Larry? I have no idea what they’re thinking upstairs. Weirdos. I wonder if this is in lieu of actual pay rises, as there’s no money for that.”

The email said to pick a card, download and print and write a personal note in it recognising the employee’s skills. “The goal is to increase employee engagement, motivate high performance and build a positive work environment,” the email said.

“Those who are recognised will have the opportunity to attend industry events, go behind-the-scenes at different ABC productions, attend a celebratory event in Sydney, and receive other great products such as Google headphones.”

