Last Friday at work, we were all called into an unexpected meeting. I had a feeling it was bad news, since the only other time they ever did that it was to tell us a coworker had died. No one died this time, but it was bad news. They were laying off 25 of us.
They didn't tell us at the meeting who was being laid off. But they said that those affected had already gotten their pink slips privately, so I knew my job was safe (at least so far - I expect things will get worse before they get better). But it was still quite a shock. They offered a buyout a couple of months ago, and many people took it. We thought layoffs wouldn't be necessary. We were wrong.
Today, we found out the names of those getting the axe. It was pretty heartbreaking. One of them is an engineer with two young boys. He and his wife just bought a house. They moved in last week. Another is a young man who was so upset that he walked out and hasn't been back since. It's been three days. The layoffs won't take effect until the end of the year, but he hasn't been back.
The sad thing is that many of the people laid off would have taken the buyout if they knew they were going to be laid off.
The whole atmosphere at the office is terrible. Some of the people who got pink slips are lashing out - hinting that so-and-so should be laid off instead, or burning their bridges by telling off their bosses. Those who aren't losing their jobs are afraid they will eventually. Mostly, it's unbelievably quiet, with none of the usual joking and chatter.
It's going to be a long winter.
This must be what it's like in the Dallas Cowboys locker room...
Labels: The Greater Depression
