The Great Cupcake Quest
Big Sister, Little Brother

Look Out, The Ax Is Falling

The layoffs finally happened at work yesterday. We'd been expecting them for months, but the last couple of weeks have been the worst. On Thursday the VP of our department came around "just to say hi" and to put his face in front of everyone. I did appreciate him coming around, but it is not something he ever did before, so it was kind of an early warning signal that the ax was swinging lower and lower.

About 20% of the entire department lost their jobs; two were from my little group. What puzzled me, gobsmacked me, was that I could not -- cannot -- for the life of me figure out why they chose the folks they chose. Clearly, the person who made the decisions did not have the slightest idea of what we do or who we are.

I've been through many of these "management actions" and it doesn't matter what it's called or how it's done, it sucks shit through a rag. I know "they" say that it's just business, but really it's not. When people are losing their jobs, it's intensely personal. I don't care what your argument is, it's people you're firing, not resources, and that makes it personal.

I've done the firing. Yes, it's hard to do, but it's a hell of a lot harder for the person who's being fired. I just had to deliver bad news and get signatures; the other person had to find a new job, figure out how to make the mortgage, put a work life into a box and start again.

Anyway. I still have a job. I guess that's the good news, although the amount of work will not decrease and the rest of us have to pick up that work.

Oh goody.

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