I know an HR person that recently left the company after finally realizing she was nothing but their operative, and not a "rep" for employees in any sense of the word. As with most of them, they're only seen in-person when there is a termination and/or suspension, but the last time I saw her she just looked like someone had just kicked the tar of her. It was so bad that I just asked her flat-out of she was OK, and she said we should meet at lunch "off the property".
At Starbucks, she just let loose and started crying, basically telling me she was tired of being a tool and that the direction the company had taken had left her extremely troubled. Over and over, she was being told to never take the side of the employee unless told to do so by FedEx Legal. She truly felt guilty and shamed by what she was being forced to do, and admitted she had been part of many faulty terminations and various levels of discipline. After 30 minutes of this, I basically told her exactly what several of you have just stated, as in managers being rewarded for ass-kissing and being Letter Nazis while the operation burned-down around them...typical for Express these days.
Anyway, she quit shortly thereafter and was hired by a Fortune 50 company for a third more than she was making after over 20 years with FedEx. That's starting pay, and the benefits made ours look like nothing in comparison.
One of the nicest, most decent people I had ever met at FedEx, and they just killed her spirit and any remaining allegiance to the company. Just as they have with so many others.
Bravo Zulu to her for doing the right thing. Happy she got out, and may more of you do the same. If you're young enough, leave now, because, unlike the LGBT campaign, it isn't getting better.