And lo, it came to pass –a messenger came forth with a royal proclamation from the echelons on high. It is hereby decreed that heretofore and notwithstanding, thy kingdom shall be divided in two. Half of the crops, the herds, the fruits and the wares of the land shall be moved to another kingdom far and anon. And what of the serfs who tend the holdings? Shall the serfs be sent to a foreign land to tend the crops, the herds, the fruits and the wares, and establish them in a new country? Ah, but no. Alas, the decree is such that the crops, the herds, the fruits and the wares shall be given to the new kingdom, but the serfs will be released to establish themselves elsewhere. But m’lord, one serf implored. We have tended these crops, these herds, these fruits and these wares for years upon years. Our crops, our herds, our fruits, our wares are foreign to others, but well familiar to us. Be of good cheer, spake the messenger. Our kingdom has new crops, new herds, new fruits and new wares — surely the serfs will rejoice at the opportunity to seek a place among these new holdings.
A blanket of silence filled the land. The serfs shook their heads in sorrow and disbelief. Some bristled with anger and indignation. Who is the magistrate behind such a senseless edict? In a new land, in the hands of an unfamiliar serfdom, the crops may fail, the herds may weaken, the fruits may spoil and the wares may crumble. The kingdom will in no wise find more wealth through the dissemination of its crops, its herds, its fruits and its wares.
Woe. Woe unto us, the toilers of this kingdom. This crumbling kingdom.
And so it is in the land; there is much weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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I started this post on March 23rd. I can’t recall the day we heard the news, that it wasn’t just another rumor, but an edict from on high. A massive restructure in which we are literally slashed in two. We are seasoned people with a wealth of knowledge. Most of us have twenty or more years of experience with the company, if not this organization. Eighteen of my 27 years with the company have been devoted to this organization. Our contribution is significant. This restructuring makes little sense from the inside, and the long term effects will likely have astronomical costs. I suspect it may produce some short term improvement in stock prices, which seems to be the focus from the echelons on high. So myopic. I generally don’t write about work, and I certainly keep myself from the politics and shenanigans that swirl around in the corporate atmosphere. But this time it’s hit so close to home. So close. I happen to be standing on the leg that isn’t being amputated, and for that I am supremely grateful. And wary. And devastated for my friends and coworkers who are standing on the leg that is soon to be amputated.
They are scrambling to make life changes. Some have already found new jobs. Better to jump ship before it sinks. They will have the best chance of finishing their careers in peace and dignity. Today, Saturday, I received a phone call from a coworker. I assumed he needed me to work some urgent data for him — I’m always on call for such things — but he had simply misdialed. He explained that he was moving from his home to another place, and for some reason someone needed his boss’s phone number. He was trying to track that down and dialed me instead. (My phone is forwarded, because I’m always on call…) He apologized, and said goodbye. I was nearly overwhelmed with sadness, upon hanging up the phone. This man is forced to restructure his life, after steadily and stably contributing years upon years to his profession. I have absolutely no grasp of what logic has driven or how much thought, preparation and planning has been given to this massive restructuring. From where I sit, it has the appearance of a whim. A knee jerk reaction to something. Maybe a power play to capture a fleeting moment of glory or to register a notch in someone’s performance review. Either way, it has the odor of personal gain and greed.
It is a crock, and it stinketh.
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We don’t know what’s in store for us. We can no longer take for granted that our jobs are stable. We’re in service, and as long as there is a product to support, one would think that our jobs would remain stable. One would think. But that would be logic, and logic no longer seems to be relevant. Business. What ever happened to the business model in which a company delivers an excellent product that it stands behind, provides excellent customer support, for which customers in turn remain loyal, and return business or refer business. The employees take pride in their contribution to the whole, and the world turns smoothly. These days, it seems that companies try to produce the minimum level of quality that the consumer will be willing to pay for, and let the support go by the wayside. It may make for a better profit margin in the short term, but it speaks doom for the long term. The corporate world has cancer. It’s called greed. And it makes me sick. And sad. And it makes me ponder such things as where will I go and what will I do if this job that I do comes to an end.
This is not to say that I am unaware of how fortunate I am to have such an excellent job in the first place. I am grateful for what I have, and I absolutely love the people I work with. We have been together for decades. We’ve grown up together. Grown old together. Shared triumphs and tragedies together. I love my job. I love my people. I hate to see us shaken up like this.
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Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.
Eccl 9:7, 10
