A user on TikTok has gone viral after alleging that a former workplace put its employees through humiliating therapy-like sessions in front of co-workers.
In a video with over 1.2 million views as of Saturday, TikTok user Chanelle Howell (@chanelle.howell) says that her former workplace, which she does not name, forced employees to undergo “diagnosis sessions” “whenever you messed up.”
“Basically, a diagnosis session is a very painful therapy session where you are pushed to the point of failure,” Howell explains.
As Howell tells it, “Every single meeting you ever have, even the smallest meeting, is recorded” at this company. This includes the aforementioned diagnosis sessions.
According to Howell, a diagnosis session had been called for a manager after someone quit the company six months into their job. Howell says that it was requested that the entire team be present for this session.
“Basically, it was like, ‘Was this a hiring fail?’ Like, ‘Did we hire the wrong person? This is something that needs to be pulled apart,’” Howell explains.
While Howell speaks highly of her former manager, calling her “smart” and “charismatic,” she says that the “diagnosis session” broke the manager down.
“We’re all sitting in this boardroom. My manager is just being drilled with questions about who she is as a person, and her failures, and childhood,” Howell recounts. “It just goes far, and maybe 50% through the session, she’s just a puddle on the table—like, sobbing. And, like, this is my manager, and I was just like, ‘this is actually nuts.’”
Eventually, it is decided that the diagnosis session has been concluded. It is at this point that Howell heard something shocking.
“It’s been an hour, and so the person diagnosing her was like, ‘I think this would be a great recording to send to the entire department,’” Howell recalls. “I lost it. I was like, ‘what is happening?’…I’m sorry, your biggest moment of, like, vulnerability, and it’s just like, ‘I think this would be a good learning point to send to the entire department.’”
While Howell did not say the company’s name, many users were quick to suspect Bridgewater Associates.
“I know Bridgewater when I hear it. I used to book the meditation room to cry in,” said a user.
“I heard diagnosis and knew. Hello fellow Bridgewater survivor,” added another.
While the Daily Dot was not able to confirm whether Howell was in fact talking about Bridgewater, the company is known for conducting “diagnosis sessions,” and Howell’s own LinkedIn page states that she once worked for the company.
If Howell was in fact referencing Bridgewater Associates, she wouldn’t be the first to make such accusations against the company. Last year, the Australian Financial Review published an excerpt from a book describing a culture of humiliation at the company. This excerpt includes an incident in which Bridgewater Associates founder Ray Dalio called an employee “a dumb sh*t” during a diagnosis session—then demanded a recording of the session be sent to all employees.
@chanelle.howell Lol the stories keepngetting better #blackmirror #finance #hedgefund #jobmarket #intern #interviewtips ♬ original sound – Chanelle Howell
Other commenters were simply shocked by the fact that the company allegedly put its employees through this in the first place.
“I feel like this has to be a violation of some kind of labor laws,” said a user.
“HR professional here: I BEG YOUR FINEST PARDON?” stated another.
“This is beyond insane. This should merit a lawsuit,” declared a third.
The Daily Dot reached out to Bridgewater Associates and Howell via email.
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