Beverly

It does get better near the end

A couple months ago all h*ll broke loose at work when a confidential document was left on an unsecured server with information outlining plans to outsource the development staff in our department. Upper management tried to smooth things over by calling a meeting suggesting the document was only a "what if" scenario and the actual plans might be different....yea, we've heard that before. I can bet some-body's head rolled over that document getting out.

Last month they made the announcement they would be outsourcing our jobs but would be keeping a few people and reclassifying them as System Consultants. We had to apply for the positions but it took me thirty seconds to decide I wasn't applying and would take the severance package and leave.

Today was the day They wiped out 50% of my group. It was so sad to see people who only had a couple more years to retirement lose their jobs. The really crappy part of this whole deal is we'll be there until October training the people taking over our jobs.

Now to the biking content of this post.... They gave the people who lost their jobs the afternoon and Friday off because they knew they would be upset. I told my manager I had things planned for the entire weekend and didn't have time to be upset until Monday so he just laughed and said I could come back Tuesday.

I called a friend and we rode 23 miles this afternoon with a stop for coffee and dessert. Sorry but I ate the dessert before I had a chance to take a picture. It was a gorgeous 73F and we only had to fight the headwinds on the return trip. We stopped at a rest area on the way back to watch bees and recover from the 15mph headwind


Tomorrow morning I'll be leading a club ride to one of our favorite restaurants for lunch, Saturday morning I'll be riding in a festival parade with a few other MetroPark volunteer bike patrol and Sunday morning it's the regular breakfast ride. Monday looks like rain so maybe I'll stay at home and be upset about my impending retirement

Louis

Congratulations...I think.

Large companies are cold blooded, they'll kill you and eat your babies without flinching. I feel bad for those folks who are nearing retirement when they are cut loose. I would think that from now until October it's going to be hard to maintain a professional attitude.

It's good that you're cycling a lot. Keep riding and say hello to my DCC friends for me.

fthomas

You have a great attitude for such a terrible situation!

Corporate American is so focused on the bottom line that it seldom sees the true impact to their customers and shareholders in making a decision such as this. I went through 9 (nine) Presidents that I reported to in one year with a company. Not surprisingly they are no longer around. It is too bad that the only ones that do not get hurt are the people at the top. It all boils down to what they - Executives - are rewarded for. Wonder why? The wheels just keep turning!

Oh, wow we are back to bicycles! Enjoy your ride tomorrow!

Mojo Slim

When handed lemons, take a bike ride.

Beverly

Congratulations are in order

It's going to be tough for those who took the news hard to sit there and train someone else for their job. I don't think I'll have too much trouble as I can't wait to get out of there. I turned 65 in January and will be eligible for full retirement in January 2008. It couldn't have come at a better time for me. I'll be retiring three months early with a nice severance package as a retirement gift.

I've already told my manager he better send me one that's smart and speaks English with a Midwestern accent because I'm old, cranky and hard of hearing. If I can't cram my thirteen years of system knowledge into their head I'll simply have to find other body openings

ad6mj

Sorry to hear about your coworkers. Glad it's working out for you. Enjoy your long weekend.

Louis

zonatandem

Yup, America is the land of opportunity . . . including getting screwed by the company you worked so hard for!
Been retired 13 years. Three days before I retired they tried to fire me! Anything not to have to pay out that pension . . .
Had to meet with a board of folks with neckties who knew much less than I did. Proved to them that their reasons were totally wrong . . .
I laugh every month when my reirement check shows up . . .
Look out for yourself, as no one else will.

Tom Bombadil

I wouldn't mind if your situation happened to me (the part about landing a nice severance package just before I was going to retire anyway). Hopefully this happens well before I'm 65!

I've been involved in staffing cutdowns where there really wasn't any other choice. Well, there were two choices. Cut down about 15% or go all the way to 100%, because one had to cut by 15% to stay in business. It is very difficult and stressful, even for management if they have their heads on right.

Unfortunately too many outsourcings in recent years have been drastic and not always necessary.

cranky old dude

I feel your pain. The company I've been at for the last 38 years has reduced
its local workforce from over 60,000 employees to less than 9,000. I've had
one raise (3%) since 1995 though all my annual performance appraisals have been
outstanding. We have had our wages reduced twice in the last three years
to the tune of 7% reduction....all the while management has been getting
filthy rich. They have increased their wages by 20% just over the last 4 years,
all of management from the bottom to the top. Sooo, I earn less than I did
13 years ago . If my wife was physically able to work, if I had skills,
if, if, if.......

So I'll be retiring, going on to another full time job at Wally World or some
such place, in the next few years and I'll get a small annuity from my current
job.

I firmly believe that a major Labor movement will be happening soon, or the entire
country will be out of work.....just hope I'm around to see it. I have a lot of
pent-up rage as I'm sure many folks do. This selfish CEO mentality does not
set well with the struggling masses and soon all Heck is liable to break loose.

Congrats to you for surviving the fracus and coming out a winner. My hat's off
to you for having the where-with-all and tenacity to survive.

Happy Trails

HopedaleHills

Stories like this are all too common these days. The greed of corps and company owners seems out of control, just look at the oil companies. Last year my wifes company outsourced her dept. She was one of the lucky ones that got to stay on as a consultant. It's been the worst year of her career.

I work for a small software company. We make the owner about 30 milllion net a year. He gives no profit sharing or bonuses and requires us to work 9 hour days. Yesterday, he told the VP of Eng (who I work for) to give him a list of 15 people to fire (out of about 90 in eng). He does not lay people off or give severance. It seems that our sales are down some and god forbid he make 25 mil rather than 30 this year.

I can't say I would be extremely upset to be on the list.

Timtruro

This comes under the catagory of ka-ka happens. Not much you can do about it. If you have the where with all to retire, it sounds like your biking interest will keep you busy in a positive and healthy way. Hope things work out for you.

BSLeVan

My knee jerk reaction would be to "train" the people replacing folks in the fine art of doing it wrong. Unbelievable that we continue to put up with coporate decisions that are primarily driven by stocksholder interests. Oh, well, as others have said/suggested, you are taking this rather well.

The Smokester

A similar thing happened to me and I retired about a month ago with a nice severance and full pension. I was one of very few for which that was an option. In my case it was a voluntary pqckage. But, this week an involuntary program was announced although no names yet. Who thought this up? Imagine the effect on morale.

I guess nothing stays the same forever but as others have implied here one worries about the future of this country (USA).

Anyway, congratulations and keep up the smiling miles.

bobbycorno

Were I in that situation (and in IS, it's always a possibility), I'd be sorely tempted to say "screw 'em", walk out the door and let the corner office suits train my replacement their d**n selves.

Scott P
Bend, OR

qcpmsame 

Glad that you are good with your package and get your full retirement. Sad for your co-workers that will miss this. This type of thing is why I work for a small family run business. Best of luck with the training period and in your upcomming retirement.

Bill

ad6mj

Of course corporate decisions are primarily driven by stockholder interests. That's business.

The Smokester

Yes. But I worry that stockholders may not take a broad enough view of what their interests really are.

LynnH

I love your attitude Beverly, just ride, kick back and enjoy this!

Spokes man

So much of this going on now. At 56, I am just holding out hope that I don't fall victim to an involuntary buyout, early retirement program, layoff, or, in plainer terms, kissoff.

Large, publicly owned companies really don't seem to care anymore about what employees contribute . . . It's just the bottom line that matters. And when it comes to us older, experienced, knowledgable workers . . . they may deny it's age discrimination, but I'm not naive -- I know they'd love to replace us with young, cheap but inexperienced help, or outsource our role overseas where they can pay someone beans.

Glad to hear, Beverly, that in your case it worked out well and that you get a nice retirement gift. Enjoy, and spend at least a small part of it on bike gear! Help the economy! *L*

ad6mj

Agreed, often outsourcing results in poor customer service and customers are lost. IMO, it is usually a bad decision to outsource customer facing functions. Sometimes though, outsourcing is the only way a company can remain competitive. However, when it is necessary, it is in the company's best interest to treat the impacted employees decently or the remaining employees will be dissatisfied which usually results in dissatisfied customers.

Terex

Congrats - and condolences, as appropriate.

Ohio continues to lose jobs...and people.