Resturing and job cuts

So after four months of waiting, waiting and even more waiting, the Board and Management have finally decided on who goes and who stays.

Staff are called in for an impromptu meeting and for once everybody is on time.

However a few minutes to the meeting, knowing that my job is one of those to be cut, my boss calls me for a one on one session so he can cover his bases. And while I appreciate that he bothered, I don't appreciate that it took him this long to call me in for this, because now it becomes a double blow. Although, I appreciate that it is a tough job to do.

Well, we sit in and two presentations are made. What do I go away with after the meeting? That I might or might not be out of a job at the end of this week. There is something callous about any presentation on job cuts. No matter how polite or apologetic you try to be, you are left feeling like a mean guy who yanked a favorite toy away from a child.

When that letter finally makes it to your desk....

Today I saw another colleague fight to hold back tears. With donor demands, funding and job cuts, this is a common sight in many companies relying on donor funding. And no matter how well prepared you think you are, you are never prepared for that moment when you see the ink on a piece of paper telling you that your services have been terminated.

While the person leaving is more affected by the letter, there is "stayee's guilt" for those who still have their jobs albeit temporarily. There is also thoughts about having to take on the duties that Management assumes are non-existent. There is also anger towards those who make the decisions or the powers that be for doing this to both the one leaving and the one staying behind.

And so today as my colleague declares she is not going to touch a thing, my desk is full and piled up with work. Thoughts of resigning cloud my mind. So while Management (this sounds like a dirty word right now) is busy walking around to check on whether people are doing their job, you are thinking about 101 ways to get rid of Management. You want to walk up to them and tell them that the reason there were two job descriptions and two people to hold the posts is because there was that much work.

In fact, this is not the time to have some weird motivational speaker giving you that nonsense about work smart, prioritize and yet leave some time for yourself and your family.