For those of us who have to work for a living, there's nothing more we look forward to than a Friday, especially after a long work week. That has been true in my situation for many, many years up until recently. What I never thought would happen, happened -- my co-workers and I are actually dreading Fridays. So why the sudden change of heart? Since the middle of January, the company I work for has decided to go on a pink-slip spree. No kidding, in one week alone, we "lost" 5 employees! The sharks are definitely circling.
After the initial shock of the mass exodus, we never dreamed that it would happen again, week after week. After the first five individuals, which, by the way, we couldn't find rhyme nor reason for their demise since they were not in the same department, and some not even from the same office, they kept dropping like flies. One was a 20+ year veteran of the company, one was a temporary employee and the rest were in various stages of being colleagues, friends and comrades. It has truly been devastating and scary. The news keeps coming week after week. The "geniuses" at the upper management level who make these decisions clearly haven't thought through -- or they don't care -- how this would impact the rest of the staff.
Unfortunately, it's quite obvious to us that the Big Wigs' philosophy leans towards more toward the not-caring end of the equation. That's just too scary and predictable for us to be able to contain our anxiety over. We are all a crazy, nervous mess, not to mention the people who initially loved their jobs and weren't disgruntled are now nervous. No one is safe. Way to go shithead Big Wigs!
Tomorrow is another Friday. The fourth Friday since the initial shock of the first casualty. I have a feeling no one is going to wish anyone a Happy Friday because they haven't been happy for several weeks, and if they let another unsuspecting individual (or 5) go tomorrow, we are not going to associate Fridays or the company or the Big Wigs with anything remotely pertaining to "happy" for a long time, if ever.
It had been evident for some time that the company's procedures with regards to their dealings with personnel were rather questionable, but this sort of thing is just reprehensible. Despite the fact that the individuals affected so far were our friends and colleagues, yes we know there could have been a completely legitimate reason they were let go. However, as we see it at face value, they way it was handled was highly insensitive and very insulting. Whatever dignity these people had were stripped on the day they were let go. It didn't have to be that way, but that's how the management (mis) handled it. Highly questionable, indeed.
Having spoken with a few co-workers over the past couple of days, it's no surprise that everyone is on edge. We can only reassure one another that if we know in our hearts and our heads that we have tried our best, there's nothing else we can do but accept our fates. It's too bad that the morale is at an all-time low (considering we thought it had already been at an all-time low, it actually got lower!). The only people that aren't worried are the executive staff and the individuals making these seemingly senseless, sadistic decisions.
The rest of us can take solace in knowing that, like a lamb to slaughter, any one of us could be next. In a twisted way, it has brought us a little closer together and made us kinder to each other in anticipation of the looming dread ready and waiting to pounce upon any one of us. Not surprisingly, it has made us very wary of the decision-makers in the company and has polarized the peons from the bigwigs. Those decision-makers have not only done a disservice to the people who make the company run, but have put their own reputations at risk. Who among us can trust those that are supposed to support and encourage us? If this is their idea of leadership, we want to detract.
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