Carnage
This ended the two of the longest weeks of my life. Our company shed (somewhat brutally in some cases) 30% of our workforce.
Now, I know that this is the common fare in the world today, but it was tough on me as I personally knew almost all the office staff. I knew their background, history, families, friends, and generally their life.
The first day was the worst as I had to sit in a corner cube in HR and await the names given to me. I didn’t venture out as by late morning, I was given the whole list.
I practice a concept called MBWA (Management By Walking/Wandering Around). I read this a long time ago in a management flyer. You basically walked around and talk to people. You will receive a multitude of comments, future departmental plans, open and honest feedback, ideas (some good, some very bad), office political scoops, happy and sad news and most of all food…
That Monday morning, walking around led to inquisitive stares of “Do you have a list?”, “Why aren’t you looking at me? Am I on it?”.
By the middle of the day, I had lost the battle for my department. I’ve never felt so powerless and morose. The carnage ended in losing two key people. The last one wasn’t even on my “list”. 15 minutes prior his departure, I made a meeting appointment for the following morning.
We’re now technically leaner, but at the expense of many friends and collegues. A year ago this was not predictable. I can’t imagine the horrors the staff are facing in the the larger companies who are shedding in the thousands. Our new motto, Look Forward, is a little difficult without understanding how we failed.
As the poet George Santayana proclaimed – Those Who Forget History Are Doomed to Repeat It.