Conference quark::mennotes-v1

688.0. "This really happened!" by NITTY::DIERCKS (Just being is not flaunting!) Mon Nov 25 1991 09:12

    Friday was the last day at DEC for one of my best friends.  X (I think
    keeping this person anonymous is appropriate) has always "been there"
    to support me, to hold me, to love me, whenever I needed that type of
    support.

    X had given 12.5 years of hard work to DEC.  X was a victim of the last
    cut.  A week after the cut, (X was given 4, which became 6, weeks to
    find another job in the company before the severance really took
    place), X's manager called X into his office and said, we've changed
    our mind and really can use you.  X's response, basically, was "forget
    it".  It became all too obvious that the criteria being used to make
    the cuts were arbitrary.  How can a decision be made one week to cut a
    person and a week later the decision be reversed?  The stress of being
    cut was enormous on X and X felt it was a slap in the face to be told,
    so to speak, "just kidding -- come back to work for us".

    The ultimate slap occured last Friday while X was finishing the task of
    desking cleaning.  X had been a sales support person and had a drawer
    full of files containing the details of possible "solutions" to
    customers needs.  X approached the boss as to what should be done with
    these files, thinking they would simply be given to some other
    still-employed sales support person.  Wrong!!!!  She was told to throw
    them away, that they were no good to any person but X!!!

    What?????????  What are these customers supposed to do?  Are they going
    to be subjected to the repeat of the sessions had with X to determine
    their needs?  What are they going to think?

    I can't believe this happened.  I feel sad for DEC.  This one incident
    is, in my opinion, a sign that just perhaps we really DON'T know what
    the heck we're doing.

    Sign me,

        Discouraged
    

    I am sorry that we are loosing X too. Sounds like X has always had
    X's feecies together. I have seen a friend get the ax too. And its
    the same story. I have also known folks where set up for a fall. As in
    placed on a project that was going away and were let go when the
    project died. Hmmmm..... Guess thats the Dec way alright. But then
    agian if Dec didn't do these things guess there would not be a number
    of spinn off companies, nor would there be allot of folks going out to
    compete agianst us. We would all be fat and happy.
    
    Perhaps the urinals should all be lifted a coupe of inchs through out
    the company. To keep us on our toes. :)

    	Somebody I know has got "the package", but has been asked to stay
    on for 6 months to allow an adequate handover period to her
    replacement...  we have to reduce the headcount, but she is too
    valuable to let go in any shorter time.

    What I really dislike about DEC is how they try to sugar-coat
    everything for the press, and treat their people like crap when they
    fire them.  Layoff?  Hardly.  A layoff implies that a company is facing
    some financial trouble and must let some people go for the moment, only
    to call them back as needed when things improve.  That's how "layoffs"
    work where I came from.  DEC has no such intentions.  DEC doesn't lay
    people off... they fire them.
    
    A fellow from back East some place came out here and told our group
    that this was down to survival.  It's sad news that the leaders of the
    company have taken this attitude.  I saw this coming over 2 years ago. 
    And I ain't no wallstreet egghead.
    
    DEC is fighting to survive, like a boxer that is out-classed, and tries
    to with-stand the pounding by covering up on the ropes, never getting
    a moment to get off any real punches.  In the end, the fighter is
    beaten to the canvas.  Struggling to survive isn't winning.