It has been a bizarre couple of weeks. Imagine sending emails out to contacts you have made in a fairly large organization to ask about a project you have been working on together, only to receive a “Recipient not found” message in return. There has been quite a lot of scrambling since the Downsize, with people looking for who is taking over this or that, in lieu of so-and-so who isn’t here anymore. Projects and their dates have to be re-evaluated, and yet the original deadlines remain and have to be met. It makes for a lot of overtime and reshuffling of responsibility. There were no “immunities” in the Downsize, in terms of “stature” or “tenure” of employees. Some high-level responsibility people were let go, and it stands to reason that there will be an effect not only on morale, but also on projects that some of these people were heading up.
One of the things I am noticing as a “survivor”, is that there is not really any time to grieve, nor is there room for self-pity. After all, I am still collecting a paycheque. And I remember with great clarity the
fear of uncertainty where the “no paycheque” issue is concerned…
Given the harried pace of the software development industry, and being employed by a company who prides itself on innovation in the marketplace, time is a precious and often rare commodity. When the gate is opened, one dashes quickly out and must make decisions “on the fly” and navigate the obstacles as they appear. It takes a lot of effort from a lot of people who are quick thinking. It would be a luxury in this industry to be able to look forward and make long-term plans, but the nature of technology is that it changes so rapidly. One has to keep the pace or risk losing the edge of being the first to market.
As a layoffee I also recall having had much sympathy for the survivors of the Downsize. They were swamped with having to take on the work of all those who were not there anymore. They suffered about a 40% loss in staff. They had to doggy paddle to keep afloat after the morale had been sucked out of them with the Downsize. And they had to do all that with the
uncertainty of not knowing whether the next paycheque would clear the bank or bounce south.
We are
far more fortunate survivors at this company than former colleagues at the other company. We “only” suffered a 10% loss in staff, and there is money in the bank. This Downsize was part of an effort to streamline operations, in keeping with the times. With all of the technology industry suffering budget cuts in light of the downturn in the markets, no company is entirely immune. The budget cuts will ultimately reflect themselves in less money being spent on products in the marketplace. We recognize that our product is a luxury at a time when tech companies are struggling to keep heads above water. As such, the powers-that-be have to be responsible in acknowledging that we are feeling the pinch of belt-tightening in today’s economy.
By the same token, the layoffees in this Downsize were also far more fortunate than those of us who were laid off from the other company. They received fair and equitable severance packages, as well as access to resources that will help them in their future job-hunting. The packages afford them each considerably more time to get back into the job-hunting market than I had. While my fellow layoffees and I received a single week’s pay, the average layoffee in this Downsize received 3 months severance pay. It took me two months to find another job after the last Downsize. Oh to have had the luxury of 3 months of searching all the while knowing where the next meal was going to come from.
