Conference 7.286::digital

    Did they cancel due to lack of funds?????  Did they cancel COE?  Now
    that was a stupid question!  Of course they wouldn't cancel that!
    
    No you didn't work here for the food....but the recognition would have
    been nice - isn't that the same thing for COE?
    
    -pat

    I believe this is one area the company shouldn't cut.  The savings
    gained will in no means compensate for the demotivating effect this
    action will have on those individuals who should rightfully be getting
    this recognition.
    
    I don't think the decision-maker really thought out the consequences on
    this one!

    	I saw a copy of this memo too. More good news. I guess if it's your
    aim to make it less desirable to work here than anyplace else, then
    they're doing a hell of a job. No cost-cutting measure would surprise
    me at this point. When my manager starts asking me how many sheets of
    toilet paper I use per week, then I'll really start to get worried.
    	I was also wondering why my 10-year dinner invitation never came. I
    guess it's worse for those who received invitations and who are about
    to receive letters telling them that their dinners have been cancelled.
    Yup, a touch of real class. That's as bad as sending out the Canobie
    Lake Park invitations and then cancelling it! Oops!

    
    ...and speaking of service awards
    
    I hit 15 years last April 4th.  I thought maybe I would hear about it
    from someone (like a little congrats note from management).
    
    Yeah right.
    
    After several weeks of nothing, I sent out a little ALL-IN-1 (spelled
    correctly thank you) to my manager and co-workers letting them know I
    had just hit 15 (an upbeat kind of note).  I got replies back from my
    co=workers but STILL nothing from management EXCEPT a memo from my
    manager to personnel asking "if this is true" (that I hit 15).
    
    Such a minor thing would have made such a difference.
    
    My hats off to people who have indicated in other notes/topics that
    they received recognition from their group and/or manager - like an
    acknowledgement at a group meeting.
    
    "jackin' the house", Bob 
    
    p.s. I really do like my manager, but he really missed this one.

    Well, I got my 15 year certificate about 13 months late.  And there
    never was a dinner here, just a small gathering with punch and cookies. 
    I'm not surprised, at the time we should have had the meeting, we were
    getting ready for the shock of working without 25% of the organization.
    
    's ok!
    
    Dick

    I got my 5 year certificate.  Spiffier than they used to be.  I got my
    pen... which seems to keep getting lost (an "omen!") I get my paycheck,
    and my 100 mile r/t commute......  and I get my health benefits,
    commradery of the ones that are left, invaluable experience, learning
    from the most unselfish co-workers I have ever delt with in my 20+
    years of business.   Yes... a luncheon would be nice... but I don't
    really have the time.  I'll keep on giving my time, my best, and ...
    well, so what if I don't get a lunch.  I've got what I value and thats
    my job and my stability at the moment.... for ME that's enough.  
    Just my $.02 (Ha! and they thought I was a nickle shy of a dollar!!!
    :-)
    Lorelei
    

    After SERP, just how many 25 and 30 year awards will there be?
    
    That will be one small tea party......

    I remember when my ten year dinner was held.  I was unable to attend
    due to travel.  My manager at the time made arrangements to take me out
    when I returned.  We had lobster at a little seafood joint out on the
    coast.  The bill for the two of us was less than $50.  Considering the
    cost/plate at most functions (upwards of $50 for dinners) We saved the
    company money, and we both enjoyed ourselves MUCH more than we would 
    have at the official "banquet"...and we didn't have to listen to anyone
    give on of those boring speaches...This is the "old DEC" that I miss.
    I realize that this situation would be wide open to abuse, but I 
    considered it to be much more appropriate than attending the 
    "normal" function...
    
    
    Jim
    

    My boss read the memo to me this morning. All 5, 10, 15 and 20 year
    dinners are canceled. I hit twenty this year and was waiting for my
    invitation. I wonder if I'll still get the watch that I chose out of the
    gift selection ?


    Actually, it would be hypercritical of DEC to give dinners to people 
    based on their length of service when their length of service is really
    meaningless. 


    BTW, my brother who was TFSO'd two weeks ago, got his 25 year dinner
    invitation last week. What an insult !

    Jim

Huh?  A dinner for 5 years of service?  What's that?


Keith R>

>        <<< Note 2122.10 by ALFPTS::GCOAST::RIDGWAY "Florida Native" >>>

>Huh?  A dinner for 5 years of service?  What's that?

In Reading, (UK) we get a dinner at a local hotel (it's 5 mins walk
from my house).

How come the 25 and 30 year dinners aren't affected? Perhaps the people
who made the decision have been at DEC longer than 20 years...

Still no sign of the memo - does it affect dinners worldwide?

Craig
	(joined DEC Mon 21-Sep-87)

    
    The 5 year was actually a luncheon.

>  <<< Note 2122.12 by PCCAD::RICHARDJ "Bluegrass, Music Aged To Purfekchun" >>>

    
>    The 5 year was actually a luncheon.

It's a dinner here.

    Yes, 5 years is a luncheon and 10 years a dinner - usually done
    locally.  So just how money are we talking here...I saw a list of the
    25 yr people and it was only two pages - roughly I'd say 100-150
    people.  
    
    -pat

	I hit 5 years last year, along with a bunch of other people I know and
none of us had a luncheon.

    My 5 years was full last January. So far nobody has noticed.
    
    --Ritva
    

    
    I sympathize with the 15 year folks.  They don't even get the 1 week
    vacation consolation prize.
    
    

    My 10 year anniversary was this past January.  I think of my Digital
    anniversary as being like a birthday (sort of.)  It's fun to be
    remembered on one's birthday (or work anniversary,) but it doesn't
    ruin it for me that I won't be getting a special anniversary dinner.
    
    I'm very happy to have reached this particular milestone with Digital.
    If it will help the company to hold the celebration down to my extra
    week's vacation and the nice anniversary certificate, I'm more than
    happy.

  The 5-year luncheons are arranged by each site or "cluster" separately. 
Starting about two years ago, some sites canceled them.
  I think canceling the 10-, 15- and 20-year dinners is going too far. As 
several people have said, sort of, it's not just the food that counts, but the
fact that we are being assembled AS A GROUP to be recognized for an accomplish-
ment. My 10-year dinner wasn't perfect, but it's an experience I wouldn't have
wanted to miss. This is my 15th year.
  There is a good chance that this facility will do "something" to recognize
its 10-, 15- and 20-year people besides an announcement and certificate at a
group meeting. 
  Are we still getting our catalog gifts?

    When you join a company it is like a marriage , and when you manage to
    remain married for x-years, you celebrate you x-years anniversary and
    you'd like to get a nice gift from your spouse for the occasion.
    
    I can understand feelings of earlier DECees on this.

    I have an idea!, how about every time an employee has x-years anniversary
    with DEC, the rest of DEC employees collect some money and buy them
    a nice gift since DEC is not doing it ?

    if each employee gave out $1 only, that will be around $100,000 gift! 
    much better than a dinner too.

    /Nasser

    How does he DO that??! :-)
    
    No seriously /Nasser, keep it up...  such levity is needed these daze,
    and much appreciated in some quarters...  like here.
    
    Dan
    

    On June 15, 1985, I joined Hewlett Packard, a company with very similar
    values and attitudes as DEC. On June 16, 1985, my pay, along with every
    other employees', was cut by 10%. Hewlett Packard was in tough times
    and chose this method to react to them. I remember very strongly how
    well everyone took the cut (especially me). We understood that the
    environment demanded change and to survive, HP had to adjust. There is
    no business as usual when you're losing profits and marketshare.
    
    To some extent, I have great sympathy for long term employees who are
    losing benefits such as anniversary dinners that all employees came to
    expect, and even the "south New Hampshire" employees in note 2117 who 
    now have to pay a token fee for a health club most employees will 
    never even see.
    
    However, I think it's a mistake to blame "DEC" for causing morale
    problems. Ten-year employees deserve recognition, and all good managers
    will arrange recognition of some sort, whether it's a ten-cent memo or
    a fifty-dollar dinner.
    
    But in the end, if you can't motivate yourself, even in these very
    trying times, a dinner won't make much of a difference.
    
    Of course that's easy for me to say. I didn't know I was eligible for a
    dinner in three years. On the other hand, I didn't know I got an extra
    week of vacation. Now that's worth getting excited about.
    
    I know, because after three more years of hard work, I'll get the same
    three weeks of vacation I get from day-one at HP. But no complaints.
    I chose to work at DEC and I choose to remain.
    
    My decision; my motivation.
    
    dh 
    
    
    
    

    In times like these I believe that "ALL" bennies should be looked at 
    ,even COE. We all worked very hard this past year and watched many
    of our coworkers escorted out of Digital facilities.Now we get to hear
    about other coworkers escorted on the beaches of HAWAII in November.
    COE winners should be congratulated but goin' to HAWAII this
    is a bit muchI would approximate that it would cost the company a
    minimum for plane fare/hotel/time off job/ etc, per couple at least $6k.
    Im not sure how long they are gone I believe at least 4 days maybe its
    a week but I based it on 4 day/nights. All this times how many go $%^%$
    ? I believe when Kauai was wiped out DEC should have cancelled. And I
    beleive that everyone would have understood.
    
    	Where  will the insanity of this all end?
    Mike Turro 

    The last  thing you want to discourage is the Sales Force. Cancelling
    COE would be like telling a rep that we've changed the commission
    he/she was supposed to earn to $0 AFTER the business was won.
    
    For all those down on Sales Reps: Keep in mind that, if they don't sell
    the product/services that funds your particular position, you will be
    shortly "out the door". Discourage them and they will move away to sell
    more profitable products (Avon, Brushes, Christmas Cards?)...to them.

    	Seems to me that the P&P manual (U.S.) or something from Personnel
    _used_ to provide for a $50 (max) allowance for a dinner receipt on
    service anniversaries. I don't know if this was prior to group
    luncheons/ dinners or an alternative for remote locations.
    
    	Anyway, I remember taking the Mrs. out at my 5 year under this
    perk. I can't recall any group functions then. My 10 year group dinner
    was held in another state. The invitation never stated if overnight
    accomodations were provided nor what travel methods were approved as
    expenses (if any). I could not go, regardless, so I never investigated.
    
    	I passed 15 last February. I received a gift selection, but not yet
    a certificate. The only notice was the listing of my name in a district
    newsletter under Service Anniversaries. The twist is that I don't work
    for the district, but reside in the facility remote from my manager. 
    My thanks to the Allegheny District in Pittsburgh for this effort.
    
    	I guess I can see foregoing the group meal, but the $50 to take the 
    family out would be great, and not so costly as a group event, IMHO. At 
    _least_the certificate, heck, send me a .PS file and I'll print my own....
    
    	I'm adding the P&P text below on Service Recognition. Has anyone
    seen the Employee Services and Recreation Handbook mentioned there?
    
    Phil
    
    
		 PERSONNEL                             x Section 4.14           
                                                       x Page  1 of 1    
                 POLICIES AND PROCEDURES               x Effective 04 APR 88

                         Service Recognition Program


POLICY

| The Service Recognition Program has been established to recognize
| employees for their years of Company service.

ELIGIBILITY

| Regular employees receive awards in recognition of Company service.
| Each employee receives an award after completion of five years of
| continuous service as a regular employee and upon completion of
| each additional five years of continuous service through 30 years.

PRACTICE

| Eligible employees are given an opportunity to select from a choice
| of awards.  Additionally, each eligible employee's immediate
| manager or supervisor receives a personalized certificate for
| presentation to the employee.

| Employees who have completed five years of service should be
| recognized at an informal group luncheon.  Ten, fifteen and twenty
| year employees should be recognized at a more formal affair, to
| which they may bring one guest.

| Twenty-five and thirty-year anniversaries are special and will be
| recognized as such.  A separate recognition banquet for worldwide
| recipients will be hosted annually by the Corporate Employee
| Services and Recreation Department.

| Additional information is available in the Employee Services and
| Recreation Handbook located within the Personnel Department.








                        Digital Equipment Corporation
    

<....Many Forwards Removed....>

From:	NAME: RON GLOVER                    
	FUNC: Corporate Employee Relations    
	TEL: 508-493-9569                     <GLOVER.RON AT A1 at ICS at PKO>
Date:	18-Sep-1992
Posted-date: 18-Sep-1992
Precedence: 1
Subject: SERVICE AWARDS                                                         
To:     See Below
 
 
    Attached FYI is a memo that will be sent to U.S. Employee Activities 
    coordinators announcing cancellation of the 5, 10, 15 and 20 year U.S. 
    luncheons or dinners effective September 30, 1992.  We have also 
    attached a draft memo to be sent to employees who have already been 
    invited to attend those luncheons or dinners.   
    
    The decision to cancel these events was made as a part of a 
    conversation at the Executive Committee on September 16, 1992.  
    
    Please note, that the 25 and 30 year programs have not been impacted.  
    Events scheduled for employee's across the company (including employees 
    from GIA and Europe) in connection with those anniversaries will 
    continue as planned.  The Company will continue to recognize employee 
    service anniversaries as before with certificates and awards.
    
    We would greatly appreciate your assistance in cascading this 
    announcement throughout your personnel organization, and more 
    critically in assuring that the local presentation of the certificates 
    occurs in a high quality way.
    
    We will be back to you with further details about the revised U.S. 
    Service Award programs in the near future.  In the interim if you have 
    any questions please feel free to contact Annette Albright, Sheila 
    Fantozzi, or me directly. 
    
 
 
 
                  I N T E R O F F I C E   M E M O R A N D U M
 
                                        Date:     18-Sep-1992 01:58pm EDT
                                        From:     SHEILA FANTOZZI
                                                  FANTOZZI.SHEILA AT A1 at ICS 
at PKO
                                        Dept:     EMPLOYEE SERVICES AND 
RECREATION
                                        Tel No:   223-9532
 
TO:  Annette Albright@MSO
 
 
Subject: Cancellation of Service Recognition Events                  
 
 
 
 
         
         
         
         
         
         TO:  ALL SERVICE RECOGNITION COORDINATORS
         
         
         
         The company has made a decision, effective September 
         30th, to no longer fund luncheons, dinners, and banquets 
         in recognition of 5, 10, 15, and 20 year employee 
         service.  
         
         As a consequence, we regret that all company-funded 
         events already scheduled for 5, 10, 15, and 20 year 
         employee service will be cancelled.  However, scheduled 
         banquets for 25 and 30 year employee service will be 
         held as scheduled this year. 
         
         This was a very difficult decision to make and it 
         reflects the critical need to reduce costs immediately.  
         While employees will be disappointed, the company 
         hopes they understand the business reasons for such 
         action and that their service to the company is no less 
         valued.  The company will continue to recognize employee 
         service anniversaries as before with certificates and 
         awards. Alternatives to the program are currently under
         consideration and will be communicated in the near future.
         
         We realize that some employees may have already received 
         invitations to events scheduled after September 30th.  
         We ask that you please mail the letter attached or one 
         similar to it to each employee's home who has already 
         received an invitation.
         
         Please work with your local purchasing departments and 
         vendors to handle costs for cancellation if necessary.
         
         We apologize for any difficulties this decision may 
         incur for you and the affected employees.  Please call 
         my office if you have questions or if we can assist you 
         in any way.
         
         
         Letter to be sent to homes of all employees who have 
         received invitations to service recognition luncheons, 
         dinners or banquets.
         
         
         
         
         Dear
         
         
         Digital has decided to suspend all service recognition 
         luncheons, dinners, and banquets for 5, 10, 15, and 20 
         year service, effective September 30th.  They will still 
         hold events for 25 and 30 year employees.
         
         We regret to say that your recognition event, will be 
         cancelled as a result of this decision.   
         
         The company is making very difficult decisions in an 
         immediate and critical effort to reduce costs.  It does 
         not diminish in any way the value placed on your years 
         of service to the company and the contributions you have 
         made.  You will still receive your certificate and award 
         in recognition of all you have done for the company.  We 
         hope you, your family and any guests you intended to 
         invite will understand this disappointing circumstance.  
         We offer our sincere apologies for any inconvenience to 
         you and them. 
         

    
    
    	I received an after-hours dinner in one of the local DEC
    	cafeterias when I reached 5 years. At 10 years, there was
    	some sort of dinner..I was on the road and couldn't make it.
    	I reached 15 years on Sept. 6...I got an award gift, and my
    	manager gave me my certificate. While a dinner would be nice,
    	I understand the need to cut costs, and the certificate and
    	award are more permanent anyway. To the noter in .4 (Bob Riley?)
    	I hope that your experience was just an oversight and that you
    	eventually do get the award and certificate, though nothing can
    	replace getting them at th correct time.
    
    	But I would expect that the company be even-handed about this. 
    	If they are truly serious about this cost-cutting business, then
    	there is no justification for taking sales people to Hawaii or
    	wherever for COE. None whatsoever. The service recognition dinners
    	are small peanuts compared to the cost of COE. And we're all in
    	this together, so we should all be expected to tighten our belts
    	the same number of notches.
    
    	John

    Well, we are in tough times, BUT this cancellation stinks!  I recieved
    my knife (5 yr) about 2 days before my anniversary delivered by UPS to
    my house (not my manager) and I recieved my certificate via interoffice
    mail about 2 months early (not by my manager in a group meeting [BTW:
    what's a group meeting? you guys have those things regularly?]).
    
    However, keep our chins up and don't quit; I have this deep sinkning
    feeling that all these cancellations are designed to get people to quit
    so that the weak structure we have in place doesn't have to go through
    the layoff process.  Don't quit! make them lay us off! and then, when
    we're all gone- who's going to do the work? (insert Bud Bundy snicker).
    
    I come in to work and do my best and make every effort to get
    accomplished what's asked and expected of me and they give me a
    paycheck so that i may put food on table, clothes on my kids, and
    provide a roof over their heads (not a cardboard box).
    
    I don't ask for anything else; what they're willing to through in is
    great.  I just wish management was more aware of the little things in
    their groups instead of "the big picture" (insert Kelly Bundy confused
    look "huh?").  (I even had to just about beg for a congrats on my
    promotion earlier this year!)
    
    I won't quit for the sake of quitting (unless something better comes
    along), I can take what they dish out 'cause I can give it back, the
    pain and burden of the insensitvity rests on their shoulders- not mine.
    
    Reg.

I read something on USENET this weekend that seems appropriate at this time:

	Floggings will continue until morale improves

As we see more and more things that seem to hurt morale, I shake my head in
disbelief.  Shouldn't we doing the utmost to keep our morale up?

    please remind sales that if the rest of us didn't make such a great
    product and insure it's capabilities and functionality thta they
    wouldn't have anything to sell.  Where's our rewards?
    
    Sheesh! 

    From what I understand, recognition dinners from 10 years on, cost in
    the neighborhood of $65/person (X2 with guest).  I was told this by a 
    friend who coordinates such events.  I didn't have a problem with this 
    cancellation after hearing that price.
    
    On my 15th anniversary with DEC I received my gift on time, but didn't
    receive my certificate until a year later (to the date).  Apparently
    someone made a mistake.
    
    					Steve

    I nominate 2123.3 for the Annual "Where's Mine" award.

re: .4

Seems that's a daily award these days ... gimme the old DEC.

    If the Executive Committee HAD to decide to cut these service award
    dinners, they should have given enough notice, maybe 90 days or something
    like that.  As it is now, many individuals have received invitations,
    invited family and friends and made arrangements.  I think they should
    still go at this point in time.
    
    I personally am far enough aware from a service milestone that these dinners
    would only be a fond memory of the way the 'ole DEC' used to be
    whenever I do reach the next milestone.
    
    This is a sad commentary on the how bad things may really be.

    I'm usually a non-writer in this conference, but I can no longer keep
    quiet.
    
    I have been with Digital for over six years.  I started with EIS delivery 
    out in the field, then moved to sales support and now I am in software
    engineering.  I have worked for Digital in Connecticut, South Carolina and 
    now Massachusetts.  Each job has its own rewards, challenges and difficult
    times.  It gets tiring to hear people in remote offices (away from MA and 
    NH) complain about the things that they don't get and it gets tiring to 
    hear people in engineering complain about what the sales force gets.  
    People complaining about turkeys, outings, trips, company cars etc. etc. - 
    GET A LIFE! 
    
    Until you have worked in a position that you feel envious of because of 
    the extra "benefits" and know what it's like, you don't have any basis for 
    your complaints.
    
    Sure all of these extras are great, but I get my motivation and reward
    from doing my job well and getting satisfaction out of that.
    
    Instead of worrying about all of this, why doesn't everyone realize
    that we all need EACH OTHER to be successful.  Let's get our noses to the
    grindstone and each do what we can in a positive way to help Digital 
    succeed.
    
    Dave
                                                   

    Another mistake. We need firm new direction for this company,
    with new/revised technical leadership...not this type of
    low tech...bean counting cutbacks. 
    
    Marc H.

    
    	I really don't have a problem with these types of events being 
    cancelled during this climate.  
    	
    	My issue is with the "eleventh hour" timing and the associated loss
    with this lack of foresight.
    
    	I'm pretty sure that any hefty deposits that DEC has made with
    local establishments, caterers, etc., will now be lost anyways as 
    a result of cancellation.  The awards dinner here (KAO) is (was?) 
    scheduled for a week from this Friday and to back out now is going
    to cost.
    
    	Theres got to be an economic 'point of no return' for these
    employee activities.  Its my humble opinion that they should have
    passed this mandate after this round of recognition dinners and have
    it apply next year.  Oh well, next...
    
    
    		-Ian (whose not affected this year btw)

    My personal opinion is..... things aren't as bad as they seem.... As
    stated in an earlier reply, this may be the "shaking of the tree". To
    see how many fall out, so they don't have to lay off..

    Kinda like survival of the fittest.....

    While in basic training, in the Army, we went through similar games. It
    is rather interesting to see what those in authority will do to those
    of subordinate levels.... Their reaction to resistance... "if you don't
    like it, leave...."

    The problem with the tree/fruit analogy is..., with a fruit tree, most
    often the bad fruit falls first.... With the "Digital tree" however, it
    will be the good fruit falling first.... This will leave mostly bad
    fruit... That is not to say *ALL* who stay are bad..... 

    Again, just my opinion.!

    Bob G.
    

    Anyone know of any firms/investors who would back startups with little
    to know collateral???? BUT with real big ideas......
    
    		O O
    		 >
    		\_/ sheesh........!

    	Another thing that makes me more cynical about the whole situation
    (if that's possible!) is that it seems to be us grunts taking it on the
    chin time and time again. We're the ones getting laid off. We're the
    ones being asked to tighten our belts. At the same time, execs are
    still flying around in helicopters, having their meetings catered, etc.
    Hey, what's good for the grunts is good for the elite class too. Maybe
    they're suffering too. Maybe they couldn't buy that new 700-series BMW
    this year. We just don't see it from the trenches.
    	We still haven't seen some of the cost-cutting silliness they
    implemented at Wang...like lighting every other light bulb to save
    electricity...but give it time...Soon they'll run out of things to take
    away from the grunts, and then what? Look, no more grunts! Then it will
    be time to hire more grunts...

    RE: .6	"GET A LIFE"
    
    Whow..... there......
    
    Remember, all long time DECies are going to be going through a dramatic
    and dramatic culture shock.... In your 6 year DEC life, you have only
    seen the start of the slide to where we are today.... You had not been
    with DEC when things were good.... You could not possibly understand
    what long time DECies are going through during these cuts... 
    
    If these "perks" had been cut slowly through the years, the pain would
    not have been so great. ALL these perks are being cut all of a sudden
    and all at once.....
    
    So I would say your "get a life" statement is unwarrented at this
    point. 
    
    To all the carrier DECies out their, hang in there... We will get
    through this... We just have to realize the DEC as we know it retires
    in a couple of weeks....! The new DEC may not be the desirable place to
    finish out your carrier... If it is, great.! If it is not, there has to
    be "life after DEC"...!
    
    Have a great day..!
    
    Bob G.
    

    In reply to the base noter's comment that it is a mistake to blame DEC
    for morale problems, I ask who got us into the situation this company
    is in?  The answer is, Digital, it's senior management and bad
    decisions by management.  I'd like to ask the base noter, why did you 
    leave HP?  
    
    I submit to everyone, that ALL company paid functions stop.  That
    includes COE.  Put the sales force on a partial commission plus salary.
    Those that perform will make out well, those that don't won't. 

    I recently ('bout 2 weeks ago) received my 20 year gift. It gives me
    some pride of accomplishment. The dinner is of much less consequence to
    me.
    
    
    				herb

    
    
      I guess that I'll have to stick my .02 in here as well.  I am a
    17 year employee of DEC.  I certainly have seen the GOOD times and
    I hope I am around to help through the bad times.  However, why do
    so many people feel that DEC "OWES" them something other than a 
    paycheck.  Yes, I had my ten year lunch and 15 year dinner and
    enjoyed them. But, that was when thinks were well for DEC and the
    economy was better.  I believe that we are doing the right things
    and trying to pull our butts out of the fire.  This is change here
    at DEC and for the most part people do not handle change real well.
    
    It's time to move on, place value on yourself and the job you are
    doing.  Making a contribution to the Company so that maybe some
    day in the future we can go back to the "ole DEC".  I myself would
    rather have my position and associates still around rather than
    the perks that we HAD been accustomed too.
    
    Not to get to corny here, but to coin a pharse...
    
    "Ask not what DEC can do for you, but what you can do for DEC"
    
    
    Just my humble opinion!
    
    Bob

I am greatly dismayed at the cancellation of the company sponsored 
5, 10, 15 and 20 year U.S.luncheons or dinners effective September 30, 1992.

By way of preface, I am not due for an anniversary service award for at 
least 3 more years, so I am not saying this for myself.

As a project leader I know the value of showing my teammates my 
appreciation for their hard work and dedication. I know that they
get paid for the job, but, the pay simply does not completely 
compensate for the spirit and effort shown.

Failure to show appreciation is just plain ignorant. Most people train 
their children to show appreciation for others efforts in their behalf.

It seems that in our all out efforts to cut costs we have lost our 
common sense and common courtesy.

David C. Brown

My 15th anniversary with Digital comes up next year.  I fully expect that by
that time, the "service awards" will also have been eliminated to save money.
They've already been revised so that the items which someone might actually
find desireable have been removed.  Do I really care?  Well, no and yes.  No,
in that the dinners are usually fairly boring (for my 10-year dinner, we got
speeches and a band playing so loud one couldn't even think), and the awards
are for the most part useless, but yes in that it's just more evidence that
Digital as a corporation no longer respects its employees and their
contributions.  We're just replaceable cogs in a machine, faceless and nameless
numbers.  I didn't used to feel this way, but I do now and it's depressing.

I have hanging outside my office wall a recent "Dilbert" cartoon which I think
is relevant to this subject.  The first panel shows Dogbert talking to a
company executive:

	Executive:  Why should I hire you as my consultant?
	Dogbert:    I'll use my special process of cognitive dissonance
	            to improve employee morale.
	Executive:  How does it work?
	Dogbert:    When people are in an absurd situation, their minds
		    rationalize it by inventing a comfortable illusion.
	Executive:  Go for it.
	Dogbert (now talking to an employee): Isn't it strange that you
	            have this dead end job when you're twice as smart as
	            your boss?  The hours are long, the pay is mediocre,
		    nobody respects your contributions, and yet you freely
		    choose to work here.
	Employee:   It's absurd!  No, wait... There must be a reason...
		    I must work here because I LOVE the work.  (Next panel
	            has employee whistling to himself and thinking "I love
	 	    this job.)
	Dogbert:    Next!


				Steve

    Re:.44, Why did I leave HP?
    
    I worked for HP in Los Angeles. All roads lead to Palo Alto in HP. I
    wanted to escape from California, and return to the East Coast. My
    primary aim was to live anywhere east of the Mississippi and north of
    Kentucky, but not in New York City. In DEC all roads lead (or led) to
    Massachusetts, where I really wanted to work and live.
    
    Bottom line: I now step over puddles of urine on my way to work in New
    York City and don't see the way to a better lifestyle in New England.
    So my expectations were disappointed.
    
    But as I mentioned, it was personal choice that brought me here. I have
    no complaints. 
    
    By the way, my regional office in HP, employing 300 people was closed
    and sold. All employees were offered jobs in Colorado or Atlanta. To
    some that was a great offer. To those with family or jobs that meant
    they couldn't leave LA, they got the HP version of TFSO.
    
    There's no escaping a recession.
    
    dh

    
    
    	Just for noters' information, the last series of responses
    	(a dozen or so) were originally note 2123. They seem to have
    	been merged into this note.
    
    	Right, mods?
    

    another one for .27
    
    "Due to the recent economic climate the light at the end of the tunnel
    has been turned off until further notice."
    
    -sandy
    

    re:.48
    
    Yep.  Somebody fumble-fingered and did a 'WRITE' instead of a 'REPLY'. 
    I was on my way out the door and only had time to fix it, not explain
    it.
    
    
    Bob - Co-moderator DIGITAL

    to .42
    
    If you go back and re-read my comments, I said that if the Company had
    decided that they had to cut the dinners, they should have gave some
    lead-time to when it's to be cut, not effective immediately.  As other
    noters have mentioned, they had received invitations and made plans to
    attend the affair, only at the last minute being told to cancel and
    forget it.
    
    A lead time of 90 days should have been enough time to hold all the
    dinners in the pipeline and then to inform the employee population that
    "Effective (90 days out), we will no longer hold these dinners."
    
    The timing here has left something to be desired. 

re: .32, Bob G.

>    Anyone know of any firms/investors who would back startups with little
>    to know collateral???? BUT with real big ideas......

Yes. There's a fellow with an office at the Mill by the name of Ken. I
understand he had some successes with this approach about thirty-five
years ago. But you'll have to catch him quickly - I understand he's only
going to be around through next week.

:^),
-Jack

<Failure to show appreciation is just plain ignorant. Most people train 
<their children to show appreciation for others efforts in their behalf.


    Has there been an indication that gifts are to be cancelled as well as
    the dinners?
    For me the 20 year gift (rcvd 2 weeks ago) was a clear show of
    appreciation.

    No, the memo posted clearly states that the gifts are still there.
    
    As a 12 year veteran, I must say that I think this move was overdue,
    and there are other steps which should also be taken to trim costs such
    as COE.  If this company is in financial trouble, we can take piecemeal
    approaches (like we have for several years) or we can get serious and
    deal with it.  I believe Mr. Palmer is gettinig serious.  If management
    years ago had gotten serious, I wouldn't have had to watch so many
    friends leave next week, and face the prospect that most of us may take
    that same walk if things don't change.
    
    Steve

    I could care less if I get a dinner for my years of service.  I
    consider myself lucky to have a job and thank GOD DEC is paying for my
    Master's at the same time (my college is $17K/year tuition).
    
    Here in the Field, I can't ever remember dinners for years of service
    being held -- you guys in corporate are *so* spoiled!  :-)
    
    Tammi (who once upon a time worked in Mass and knows the difference
    between Corporate "perks" and what the Field (uncomplainingly) gets --
    nothing!)
    
    I am grateful that this company puts food on my table and a roof over
    my head.  Some companies (lots here in DC) don't even pay for
    medical/dental.  Digital owes me NOTHING.  Even if they took away
    tuition reimbursement, I am still grateful for the salary I am getting
    and the challenges presented to me every day that keep me from being
    bored at home ...

         This is not an easy issue to address especially when I know my
    node name prompts responses, kind of like when folks see EDP in the
    node name (sorry EDP but I couldn't resist). I don't like the situation
    this company is in, but it seems to me we're starting to get the
    management we have been asking for. I would bet if we took a poll of
    all employees and asked them to list the most important things about
    having a job at DEC dinners would be somewhere near the bottom for most.
    If I had to find a place to cut costs quickly this would have been the
    place. We have been asking for a management that can make quick, smart
    business decisions *now*, not 90 days from now, not next year, *now*.
    
         Whats the real take-away here? BTW, I'm a fifteen year employee
    next year. Last year I made a proposal to corporate to do away with 15
    year dinners and replace them with a dinner for retirees (something we
    have never done and nobody complained on behalf of retirees). Why is
    this such a big deal to folks? Is it that this is being done now instead 
    of next year? Why? if a place has been identified to save money for the
    company and it doesn't really create a hardship for us shouldn't that
    money be saved *now*? Or do folks really see this as a hardship on
    themselfs? 
      
         I guess whats really amazing to me is I continue to see notes that
    say "we must really be in bad shape because the company has done this
    to me". Don't people understand where this company is right now? How
    many companies have high morale that have lost money and people? My
    guess is morale will get better when we start making money again. 
    
         I say its about time management started to make common sense
    decisions in this company or should I say uncommon sense in this
    company? 
    
         Next will probibly be turkeys - and let me be the first to
    say - Digital management, I won't be upset to see turkeys done away with
    to save money and if you have purchased the turkeys already give them
    to charity and save us the logistics and administrative costs
    associated. But, please make sure you continue to cut in areas that
    don't create hardships for my fellow workers and their families before
    you even look at areas that do....And, when you do, please treat us
    fairly.                                            

    
    	re .55 (Tammi)
    
    	I'm glad to hear that you are so grateful for having something to
    	do instead of staying home and being bored. But, please...explain
    	what 'corporate perks' do Mass. workers get that the field doesn't?
    
    	re .56 (JSantos)
    
    	So you made a suggestion to do away with 15 year dinners...and you
    	are in favor of cancelling Christmas turkeys. We've already had
    	Canobie Lake cancelled. Tell me, do you think it is still ok to
    	hold COE? Or how about the service award dinners/trips that the
    	CS people get for Service Excellence? How about 'woods meetings'?
    
    	John

    I think your note was kind of comical and you answered your own
    question. The perks we get out here that those in the "field" don't are
    - turkeys, and in the past Canobie. 
    
    I'm not really familiar with the events you mentioned. I would need to
    find out exactly what those events are for before I could comment on
    them. BTW, I have run awards dinners for this company, I have been an
    outing manager for the Canobie outing and I have managed turkey
    distribution in the past.. 

    I don't think the problem here is exactly 'why are they taking this
    away from me' (although that may be how it comes out).  It's more like
    'why did they take this from me and not from themselves?'.
    
    It seems like all of the communications out of corporate (of which
    there seem to be very few) are telling the grunts what they will lose
    next.  I, personnally, haven't heard a thing about what the upper level
    folks are giving up, if anything.  And I also have to agree with the
    person who's still waiting for an official memo announcing Ken's
    retirement.  I haven't seen anything in my mailbox about this either.
    
    It seems like the grunts are losing every little perk they ever had
    while upper management hasn't lost a thing (the recent conversion from
    stock options to cash for incentives comes to mind).  When they give
    something back to the corporation, I think we'll see a lot less
    complaining from the grunts.
    
    tom_p (11+ year grunt)

    re: .55 & .56
    
    	I've been here almost 15yrs, and I could care less about the
    dinner, especially in these times...But I think that the thing that
    gets folks the most upset about this is the abruptness of the decision/
    announcement.  I don't argue with making the decisions, I applaude the
    fact that it was made.  But I think it should have started in Q3, which
    would avoid the invitation/canellation situation.  People will continue
    to react to this type of news in a very defensive manner UNTIL the actions
    are tied to some type of plan that gets communicated to people so that
    they can judge actions against the plan.  Why NOT cut all awards?  I
    know this had been discussed in another note, but I think if the Sr.
    management came out with a clear, concise communication to the employee
    base stating what steps were underway, what the anticipated outcome was
    that people would not be quite as paranoid as they are now.
    
    Jim
    (p.s. I heard a rumor that DEC pays a PREMUIM for our turkeys due to
    the fact that we need such a large number of birds that are restricted
    in weight to 12-14lb's.  I say get rid of the turkeys too...)
    

    
    	Personally, I would rather go without the gift and have the dinner.
    The dinner provided a good atmosphere to bring the family and interact
    with other employees in a relaxed atmosphere. 
    	As .58 alludes to, how many activities which promote employee
    interaction in relaxed settings should be taken away? All of them, with 
    just us sitting at terminals in our cubes networking with one another
    using MAIL and NOTES?
    	I'm all for cutting expenses so I will gladly forfeit the dinner,
    gift, certificate, etc. after 15 years but I would really like to see 
    measures taken that promote employee interaction within groups,
    organizations, company-wide, etc. in relaxed as well as business
    settings in a cost-effective manner; both are important. I just ask that
    Digital avoid making their employees and families feel isolated.

    
    	re .59 (JSantos)
    
    	I'm glad to hear that you were amused. By the way, in case you
    	hadn't heard, other sites *outside* of Mass. have annual picnics,
    	whatever, for the sites. One that comes to mind is BTO, which has
    	an annual employee day. They had one this year. I'm sure that they
    	are not the only site outside of Mass. to recognize the employees.
    
    	Regarding COE and Service Excellence awards, why should it matter
    	"exactly what those events are for"? Suffice it to say that they 
    	are events in which groups of employees are treated to a weekend
    	(in some cases longer) away in recognition of attaining some goal.
    	The real point is, they are awards. And they should be treated like
    	all awards. Cut them out. Right?
    
    	I would think that you would agree to this, even though you have
    	never been in sales or field service. After all, you *did* make
    	a suggestion to cut the fifteen-year award dinners, even though you
    	personally haven't reached that milestone, right?
    
    	BTW, I always give my turkey away to charity anyway. And I haven't
    	been to Canobie Lake in at least 5 years.
    
    	John

    Wow, miss one day of reading this file and there are 59 replies to a
    new topic.......
    
    First, I support the fact that the dinners are being cancelled.  If
    times are that tough, I can understand it.  I'll certainly do my part.  
    However, the way in which these cutbacks were made is, in a word,
    TACKY.
    
    I passed my 10 year anniversary in February.  Last week (yes, last
    week) I received my invitation to the dinner honoring 10, 15, and 20
    year anniversaries.  The dinner was scheduled for October 2.  I had
    just taken the invitation home to show my wife and find out what she
    wanted for an entree.  We were both looking forward to the night out
    with dancing, etc.  Of course, I got the mail yesterday announcing the
    cancellation.  Good timing, right?
    
    Chet

	If I have to pick one of the other I'll take the gift over the
	dinner. My 5 year gift has seen use for 5 years. It's a reminder
	of some good times. Likewise the knife I recieved for 10 years has
	gotten a lot of use. It will last a lot longer then the dinner ever
	would. The big plus for me for reaching 10 years was the extra
	vacation time. With morale and stress so high I needed the vacation
	more then in the past.

			Alfred

    HEy DEC,
    
     Waana save some money.... cut back on the matching gift programs.

    re.64 Yes. BTO had an outing this year prior to the cancellation of all
    outings worldwide. I think its a safe bet they won't have one next
    year. BTW, for the first 10 years or so of Canobie people from BYO were
    asked to drive to Canobie for their outing. I didn't hear anyone down
    here complaining on their behalf. 
    To the best of my knowledge - individual groups are able to budget
    money to recognize their employees. In this area we have a cash
    incentive called PRIDE. If an employee does something outstanding that
    has saved the company or earned the company money that clearly was
    above and beyond what could be expected of an employee I support that.
    If the events you talk about are these type of awards, fine. If not
    I would bet they are already being looked at.

re: .60, Tom Pfau

C'mon, Tom - the benefits that have been cut are benefits that reach all the
way to Bldg. 12 at the Mill. There aren't any VP's getting the old LTD coverage,
last years medical plan rates, an invite to Canobie Lake or a dinner for
their 10th anniversary, either. While it may be true that they've got benefits
we don't, and it may be true that some of them haven't been altered, how do
we know that none of them have? (Then again, I wonder if they're getting
their Franklin Time Management System refills paid for by DEC? :^)

re: expect termination of service awards, too, before long

All I can say is, if that cheesy antique world globe doesn't show up via UPS
at home soon, I'm really gonna be ripped . . . :^)

-Jack

    If I were making a high 6 figure salary, I don't think I'd mind as much
    about the cuts in the benefits package.  I'd have some money to put
    into a savings account and I'd have investments that I could live off
    if something happened.  But I've still got a long ways to go before I
    reach 6 figures.
    
    Proportionally, it's the grunts who are giving up MUCH more.
    
    tom_p

    
    re: .66
    
    	I appreciated the gift as well and so did my wife as she usually
    made the selection. However I believe the dinner was more valuable from
    a company perspective as the dinner is shared in some sense with coworkers 
    while the gift is not.
    	I see a side effect here that is not just about cutting expenses.
    These dinners and outings served another useful function; that of
    recharging the individual, group. etc. Sure they could be more
    efficient and inclusive of more employees but they did serve another
    purpose to the company nonetheless.
    	Many of our batteries our running low especially during these
    times; events such as service dinners may serve to recharge and refocus
    us more than a gift.
    	I remember not too far back where it was forbidden to have coffee
    and donuts expensed for staff meetings. It was usually the first 15
    minutes of the staff meetings that provided any enjoyment at all.
    	I hate the idea of having even less interaction in the future with
    just my manager, my terminal and me. I believe employees are more
    isolated and disconnected now than ever before. That was one aspect of
    the "old" DEC that made tough times bearable.

    
    Well, I think DEC has turned the corner and the good times will be
    coming back real soon!!!
    
    With the money the company has saved between the "no more Post-It
    Notes" and the cancellation of service dinners, I believe they've saved
    enough money to keep a few useless managers and staff positions on the
    payroll for another few months.
    
    :^)  <--- for the humor impaired
    
    Bob.
    
    
    
    
    
    

I don't normally write in this conference but I couldn't resist on this topic.

I've read the base note / replies and I would like to commend all those noters
who have helped put a POSITIVE perspective on this issue. I have been around
Digital for almost 20 years and I have enjoyed all of the GOOD Years and the
perks that went with being a Digital employee. I guess I consider myself as
one of those LONG TERM DECies mentioned in many of the replies to this base note.
What I fail to appreciate is how such a trivial thing as the elimination of 
the service luncheons, Canobie Lake etc.can have such a significant impact on 
how employees perceive their worth to this company. I will admit that I feel 
somewhat dismayed over all of the recent cutback measures, but not from a 
perspective of my value to Digital or that Digital owes me something for the
time I've put in. I am more saddened by the image of my Digital family being
forced to make these changes and the effects they have had on many of it's
members. I do view Digital and it's employees as an extended family that is 
going through some rough times. And like any family we have to ALL pull 
together and make some sacrifices for the common good of everyone. These are
indeed traumatic times for every one of us, long term DECies and those of us 
who are newer members. 

We must all be individually willing to make the changes and sacrifices we are
looking for the whole company if we are to survive these tough times. We have to 
put away the childish notions of who is getting more than who. As for the tree
shaking theory, all I can say is that there is a lot of TREE HUGGING to the 
old DEC ways, and any good farmer will tell you that you have to PRUNE the 
tree once in a while if you expect it to bear good fruit.

As my tiltle states : I'm just glad to working 


Bob
 

    I'm not really upset about not getting my 20 year dinner. To be honest,
    I thought the restaurant that did the 15 year dinner was ripping DEC
    off. The food wasn't that great, and Jack De John Trio is a lousy band
    to dance to.

    What's frosted me more than anything is that I couldn't get a PC
    through EPP after 5 months of waiting, because I'm an employee.
    This is the kind of thing that hurts DEC and morale much more than
    taking away Cannobie Lake, a stupid dinner or that ridiculous turkey.


    Jim

    I suppose the thing that galls me the most about this issue is that it
    comes hot on the heels of the announcement of cash incentives for senior
    management (in lieu of stock).  It appears that we as a company are
    cutting everything in sight that might benefit or say "thanks" to the
    rank and file, while simultaneously finding new ways to spend money to
    reward senior management.  
    
    It's really not the dinners, or the turkeys, or the bottled water, it's 
    the elitist headset that seems to be evolving here.  Sort of a "screw 
    the workers" mentality.  Once senior management shows by it's actions 
    that it is most concerned with self-gratification and rewards, then I
    fear that morale will never recover.  Or worse, that a permanent "we vs. 
    they" mentality will prevail.  I for one am tired of working my butt
    off so that some senior manager can reap the credit and the reward.

    
    	This is not meant as an attack on .73 as I've heard it said many
    times now:  "I'm just glad to be working". Well personally I'm not, if
    everytime I see that hard work by myself and others still doesn't seem
    to pull the company out from under.
    	How can we be so glad to have a job with the company in trouble;
    that is what I have trouble understanding. Yes, it pays the bills but I
    find it hard that people are GLAD or HAPPY to be working. That is to
    say, we have gone beyond the point where working for individual reward
    is important; it may may even be destructive. At that point your job
    has become a perk since it is adding little value to the company. 
    	Again this is not directed at .73, but something bothers me when I
    hear that phrase. We should all think twice about just how glad we
    should be. 
    	I would rather see major changes made in the way we work and relate 
    with customers and each other; it seems all we hear now is what is the
    next thing the bean counters will be micro-managing.   

    
    re: .75 and others
    
    	Yes, this really rips me too. I heard that some VP was complaining
    about this on a DVN broadcast; weeks later we hear about the cash
    vs. stock policy. 
    	I'm real sick and tired of the slick shuffling by management. I
    predict that many true engineers and individual contributors will be
    pushed out as managers become ICs again. This really burns my butt
    since many of these same managers haven't appreciated technical prowess
    for years or decades.  

    re. cash instead of stock. 
    How does this program work? I hadn't heard this one.  

    .79 Thanks, I just read the basenote.
    
    Are we putting a bit of a twist on this cash vs stock thing? As I have
    said this is the first time I heard about this program so i'm not clear
    what it is, but it sure doesn't sound like its stated in here (only for
    upper level managers and VP's). 
    
    

    
    re: .80
    
    	Maybe it's being overstated a bit, but I believe it's fairly
    accurate. Since the pool on an individual basis will become smaller the 
    farther you go down the food chain, senior level managers will profit
    more whether it's stock or cash. Since they stood more to
    gain by stock profits than lower level grunts in good times they would
    also lose more of this benefit in the bad times. Would any of this have 
    occurred if stock was still selling at $200 a share? Are not stocks
    tied to the profitability of the company?
    
    

        Is there a finance person in here who knows how this new program
    compares against the old program? Is this program allowing more in
    terms of dollars vs the old program? 
    

    Let's try some math...
    
    It's unlikely that there are more than 1/5th of the employees due for a
    service award in any one year. Say the worldwide employee population is
    125K. We're therefore looking at a max of 25K recipients. Say $100 per
    couple and that's $2.5M. Seems fairly cheap for a $13G company to me. 
    
    From .24
    
    	$set mode/cynical
    
    >    The decision to cancel these events was made as a part of a
    >    conversation at the Executive Committee on September 16, 1992.
    	 
    	EC member 1 (25 years service): "Let's get rid of the dinners"
    	EC member 2 (30 years service): "Good idea, but let's keep them for
    		those with, oh, I dunno, random number, 25 years plus"
    	EC member 1: "Sounds good"
    
    	$set mode/notquitesocynical
    
    >     We would greatly appreciate your assistance in cascading this
    >    announcement throughout your personnel organization, and more
    >    critically in assuring that the local presentation of the
    >    certificates occurs in a high quality way.
    
    	Worker bee 1 (10 years service) arrives at work. Voice mail light
    flashing. First message (from manager): "Congratulations on your 10
    years service. If you'd like to receive your certificate, please send a
    stamped self-addressed envelope to ...."
    
    
    >    We will be back to you with further details about the revised U.S.
    >    Service Award programs in the near future. 
    
    A hari-kiri knife perhaps (with a clock tower emblem on, of course)

As a current COE winner, I don't necessarily disagree with the calls to save 
money by curtailing these sort of awards. What everyone has to understand is 
that Digital needs to provide a compensation package in every function that is 
competitive and will allow Digital to recruit and keep top-notch people.

When former Digital sales reps are now working for Sun and making $300K+, we 
need to take notice and put in place an adequate sales function compensation 
program. I think there are activities underway to do this.

The wrong thing to do at this point is to abruptly cancel awards (like COE) 
that people have worked and sacrificed for, no matter what organization you 
work for. A message that COE will be cancelled NEXT year would not be 
inappropriate now. Cancelling this year's COE would be a devastating move for
many of the people that Digital needs to work with our customers and convince
them of the merits of our excellent products and services.

Every function should have a competitive compensation program. Comparing your 
compensation package to that of another function (such as Sales) is comparing 
apples to oranges.

Regards,

Jim

    
    	re -1
    
    	By the same token, it would have been appropriate for the company
    	to cancel the 10, 15 and 20 year awards beginning *next* year.
    	The other difference is that even if COE is cancelled next year,
    	the compensation package for sales is being revamped to make it
    	more attractive. Nothing is replacing the service awards dinners,
    	to my knowledge.
    
    	If some awards programs are cancelled and others are continued,
    	it does not set well with many people. A service award is a one-
    	time event; COE is an on-going thing. Maybe a better decision
    	would have been to suspend all awards until better times arrive;
    	that way all employees share in the grief as well as the glamour.
    
    	Please don't interpret this as a vote against compensation
    	packages based upon performance. They are necessary and good, in
    	my opinion.
    
    	John

    let's put it this way (and I'm positive I'm not alone): I just feel so
    ripped off every time this company cancels something because I know how
    far my pay check is going.  Not only do I get ripped off by the various
    utilities companies and the grocery stores and the clothing stores, now
    I'm getting ripped off by my company.  I'm tired of feeling like I'm
    always tredding water just to find myself bobbing deeper and deeper
    with no means of getting a breather.  I'm just glad we don't own a
    house because if I lose my job, I'd more than likely lose the house.
    I drive aroud in 2 sh*tboxes, rent a house too small for my family and
    get disconnect notices: I'm tired of the "I've got mine" club.
    
    When all things considered, I guess the most rewarding thing DEC could
    do is to give an employee a paid day off when they reach a milestone
    or accomplish some great outstanding feat.  I don't really need to be
    taken out to eat (hell, my wife and I haven't done that in 2 years) and
    even though I do enjoy getting free stuff (the gifts), I would really
    appreciate a day or 2 off to just recollect my thoughts.  AND, the
    company would save a tremendous amount of money as well as providing
    a very substantial reward (IMHO).
    
    The world is changing, not just DEC, and as is evolves, I expect to see
    more grief than the tree huggers can imagine.  
    
    Reg.

    Re .73:
    
    > What I fail to appreciate is how such a trivial thing as the
    > elimination of  the service luncheons, Canobie Lake etc.can have such a
    > significant impact on  how employees perceive their worth to this
    > company.
    
    This is simple.  Why do people say "Please pass the salt" instead of
    "Pass the salt"?  Why do they say "Thank you" when a clerk hands them
    their bag?  Why do you say "You're welcome" or "Take care"?  These
    things are trivial, so why do people say them?
    
    Because they make people feel good.  They tell other people you care
    about them, you value what they have done, and you are trying to be
    friendly.  And consider the cost.  It is very cheap to say "please" or
    "thank you", yet it provides a great return.  A person who never said
    "please" or "thank you" or "you're welcome" would be perceived as
    unfriendly and uncaring.  People would not feel good toward them and
    would not want to work with them.
    
    That's the message Digital is sending.  A company must provide its
    employees incentive to work for the company.  If the company will not
    provide that incentive through simple gestures of caring, then it will
    have to provide other incentives in order to retain good employees --
    such as higher salaries.  That will be more expensive to the
    corporation than service dinners or employee outings.
    
    Further, extending an invitation and then cancelling it is extremely
    rude.  It is more than a lack of caring, it is an expression of
    disdain.  Digital will reap what it sows.
    
    
    				-- edp

It appears that people are forgetting we spent $2,800,000,000 more than we
made last year. That's something over $2,000 for each and every one of us.
We're not the Federal Government - we can't do this year after year and get
away with it.

    The bad manners, harsh, uncaring and ignorant ways are just beginning.
    The attitude and style from the top will be pushed down the line.
    
    I fear that DEC is _NOT_ going to be a nice place to work at in
    a very short time.
    
    This is unfortunate. 
    
    The bright side is that the economy has started ever so slightly
    to improve and that means that there other options.
    
    dave

    reply .87
    
    EDP - I never thought I'd agree with you, but you hit it on the nose in
    87.  I couldn't have expressed my thoughts and feelings any better!

      Geesh!! I'm really beginning to think that there's a total lack of
    sense around priorities in this place in recent months!! Why is the
    dinner thing so important?? I received my dinner invite to my 5 year
    abot a week AFTER the dinner was held...gave me a good laugh! I got my
    nice Cross pen with the Digital Mill tower logo on it....and a month 
    later the logo fell off and was lost. I still have the pen with the 
    little spot of poor quality solder on the clip...and if I change the 
    refill now and then it works pretty well...
    
      When it came to the 10 year time, the austerity kick had
    begun---somewhat late for sure...so I sent a note to my manager and
    asked him to please cancel my participation in the dinner and put the
    money back in the DEC kitty...which he did in somewhat of a state of
    shock.. I got my nice clock with a thermometer and humidity meter, and
    a nice little gold Digital Mill tower logo on the front of it...and
    about TWO months after I received it THAT logo fell off as well...and I
    think my dog ate it, cause we never could find it.....but again, if I
    remember to change the batteries now and then the clock works just
    fine!!
    
      I never did see the enjoyment of rubber chicken or overcooked roast
    beef...and boooooorrrrring speeches and pep-talks by speakers who don't
    even write the speeches themselves...so luncheons and/or dinners are
    meaningless to some of us. I'd rather grab a group of folks from my
    department and hit the buffet at a local Chinese restuarant...and have
    THEM all chip in to pick up the tab for the individual with the
    anniversary...and I've been both on the paying and receiving end... At
    least with that sort of group you know a few people and have something
    to talk about....
    
      With the present morale climate around the company...which I personally
    feel is an order of magnitude LOWER than military people had during
    'Nam....and I was personally involved back then, since I was in the 
    USAF during the '60's....there are a WHOLE FLOCK of things that are a
    lot more important to ME than a rubber-chicken dinner... One of these
    more important things to ME for example is having my JOB!! I think that
    the decision to cancel the 'perks' that are costing money without
    really returning any positive results is a good thing. I'd like to see
    more unnecessary and unproductive spending cut...maybe most of us CAN
    keep our jobs if this is continued...
    
      JMcD...coming up on 15 years very soon if I remain lucky and continue
    to produce!!
    

re:           <<< Note 2122.88 by ELWOOD::LANE "This space for rent" >>>

>It appears that people are forgetting we spent $2,800,000,000 more than we
>made last year. That's something over $2,000 for each and every one of us.

Well, my calculations say that by cutting these dinners we will save about

.0001%  of that total each year

Thats based on it costing DEC ~$75 per employee and guessing that 4000 employees
are honored each year.

Caution: Your milage may vary

Now, I know that each bit helps so lets see there are things like Turkeys,
free life insurance (on the employee), tuition reimbursement, free parking,
milage reimbursement and probably alot more things that we take for granted
that could be candidates for the trash heap in an effort to curtail expenses.
Well, on second thought tuition reimbursement may be safe if some of upper 
management take advantage of it.

Now, I really don't care a diddely squat about either Canabie Lake or the
Dinners. Its just that the attitute of upper management seems to be that they
will not hesitate to cut into things that the general population of DEC have 
become accustomed to, while at the same time insuring that their own level of 
compensation does not deteriate in any manner.

I also, agree with Eric. I think he hit it right on the nose. To quote
a former employee, "The death spiral continues".

- george

    re: .91   logos falling off
    
    Me too!! I got my 15 yr gift in August (a ladies Wittnauer
    watch with the clock tower logo on a "charm" type-of-thing
    hanging off the buckle) and the logo-thing fell off 1 week
    later! jeeesh....
    

re: .73

>What I fail to appreciate is how such a trivial thing as the elimination of 
>the service luncheons, Canobie Lake etc.can have such a significant impact on 
>how employees perceive their worth to this company. I will admit that I feel 
>somewhat dismayed over all of the recent cutback measures, but not from a 
>perspective of my value to Digital or that Digital owes me something for the
>time I've put in. I am more saddened by the image of my Digital family being
>forced to make these changes and the effects they have had on many of it's
>members. I do view Digital and it's employees as an extended family that is 
>going through some rough times. And like any family we have to ALL pull 
>together and make some sacrifices for the common good of everyone. These are
>indeed traumatic times for every one of us, long term DECies and those of us 
>who are newer members. 

I agree with you 100%.

I think the reason you see such upset, at what is not really a significant
thing in the grand scheme of things, is a direct indication of the degree of
stress this "Digital family" is under.  I think that most people are seriously
worried (and yes, there is a small percentage that view this as a "what's in
it for me" thing).  But for the most part, it's a reaction under stress.  IMHO.

Steve

    I think there is a lesson to be learned here...
    
    Don't pick a gift with the Digital logo on it :-)
    
    Bob

> It appears that people are forgetting we spent $2,800,000,000 more than we
> made last year. That's something over $2,000 for each and every one of us.

While that is a true statement, strictly speaking, the 2.795b/113.8k employees
is more than $24,500/employee...

      I guess I have to jump in here too. With 24.5 years with DEC and
    watching what is happening to the company I spent most of my adult life
    with, it would not bother me if they cancelled the 25 and 30 year
    dinners also. Want to know why? Because actions speak louder than
    words. I know of guys who have worked for DEC a long time, 20, 25 years
    and have always done a good job. Their project gets cancelled, they
    get TFSO'd. How can a company tell you they value your long years of
    service and put you out to sea on an ice floe the next day? One noter
    mentioned his brother with over 25 years got the axe a few weeks ago.
    Now he gets an invite for a dinner to tell him how valuable he is and
    how much the company appreciates him. I think he knows how much the 
    company appreciates him.
       The way things are today, 25 years of good service and a token will
    get you on the subway.  If you really want to honor the long term
    DEC employee, give him that feeling of job security. Don't give him a 
    dinner one night and a pink slip in the morning.
    
    Paul
    

       
      I guess I just don't understand the issues.. I haven't seen much
    evidence of "The DEC Family" around here since the mid 80's... I think
    that what the NEW DEC is trying to do is stop the bull and quit
    pretending that we are being treated like "family" when all along we
    weren't anyway. These things like Canobie Lake, turkeys, dinners,
    post-it notes smack of tokenism. I'd rather be appreciated for the WORK
    I do than to be given a turkey each year. "Hey fella...here's yer
    trukey...but even though you're carrying the heaviest workload and have
    saved Digital millions, I--Mr. Elite Manager--have a PAL that willbe
    rated a '1' and you'll still get your measly raise and be rated a
    '3'!!"
    
      I think it's a bit naive to still be a believer in Santa Claus and/or
    managers who really care about their worker do-bees! The ones who DID
    fit this description are mostly either SERP'd or took one of the
    packages out of frustration and despair. The few that are left are
    squashed into meaningless and authorityless positions where they cannot
    exert any real positive influence. When I began in Digital over a
    decade ago, I reported to a manager who reported to a V.P.. If the
    manager was off-site and decisions had to be made, I could tool on into
    the V.P.'s office and he'd resolve the issue...never once can I ever
    recall any "protocol"...he used to address me by my first name and I,
    simply because I'd been trained in the military, would call him "Mr.
    ABCD"...things got done with minimal effort..
      Today I report to my manager, who reports to HIS manager, who reports
    to HIS manager, who reports to HER manager, who reports to HIS manager,
    who reports to HER manager, who reports to HIS manager, who reports to
    HIS manager who reports to a V.P. who's actually JUNIOR to the guy
    who's office I used to casually walk into 13 years ago....and lemme
    tell ya---it's almost impossible to get anything done in a realistic
    timeframe today...if at all!! And additionally, most of this
    bureaucracy has no experience in the field of work, so try to explain
    something from a technical aspect and their eyes glaze over in
    catatonic shock... This is due to the attitude that experience is not
    really needed to manage...(Hmm..I think I'll send my resume to Mass
    General....I always DID want to try my hand at brain surgery!! I'll
    just tell'em that DEC sez experience is unnecessary..) ;-)
    
      I do feel a bit sorry for the guy on the Dock who has 3 kids and a
    small paycheck regarding Canobie Lake...and the turkeys for those same
    folks mean something. However, the executives that MAKE those decisions
    aren't effected by these things anyway, since it's rare that you'd ever
    see the high-rollers at Canobie anyway..
    
       B.T.W....We get the turkey's at a VERY GOOD price!! MUCH lower than
    anything you'd ever dream of seeing at a supermarket. I personally know
    the individual who placed the Purchase Order for them...and have seen
    the actual P.O.. THe companies that are quoted each year are HUGE
    processors, and while the Digital order is a NICE one, it does very
    little to impact their bottom line or logistics. Our turkeys would be
    frozen in some warehouse by early September, so it would be difficult
    and costly to cancel them for '92... I would doubt seriously that we'll
    see them in '93 though..
    
      We ALL have to "bite the bullet" and cut costs and frivolous waste as
    much as we can. Many of us have mortgages and kids and car payments,
    etc...and I sure would like to keep my paycheck coming in!!
    
      John Mc

||That's something over $2,000 for each and every one of us.
|While that is a true statement, strictly speaking, the 2.795b/113.8k employees
|is more than $24,500/employee...

Hmmmmmm.... an added drawback to these spiffy new computers we have is
the reduced compile time resulting in a tendancy to rush our responses
to notes....

    
       Did you all ever sit down and really THINK about what 2.75 BILLION
    BUCKS is???
    
       Let's put it into perspective: If you took 2.75 Billion and changed
    it into $100.00 bills...then stood on a river bank and tossed a $100.00
    into the river every 5 minutes....How long do you think it would take
    you to get rid of $2,750,000,000.00????????????????
    
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
            That would be 27,500,000 $100's....
    
            You could get rid of 105,120 per year @ 1 every 5 minutes
    
            I think this figures out to a little over TWO HUNDRED SIXTY ONE
    & SIX_TENTHS YEARS if I figured right. HOW can anyone say they LOST
    this much money?? LOST?? That would be like losing a herd of
    elephants!! I wonder how big a pile it would make in $1.00's???????
    
      JM
    years if I calculated
    properly!!!

    re: -100
    
    
    
    
    re: note 2122.100
    
    at $100 every 5 minutes that would = $1,200 per hour
    24 hrs times 7 days =  168 hours per week
    168 hrs per week times $1,200 per hr = $201,600 per week
    $2,750,000,000 / $201,600 per wk = 13,640.87 weeks
    
    
    13,640.87 wks / 52 wks per yr = 262.324 years to through away @2.75 billion
    @ $100 every 5 minutes. 
    
    Anyone agree with the above?
                                    

    
    No, no, no...
    
    Only *seventeen* angels can dance on the head of a pin.
    

And the seventeenth was TFSOd as redundant

}8-)}

    The answer is 261.60 interest free years!!(does not include leap year)

        It's a LOOOONNNNGGG TIME whatever.
    
        But as Everett Dirksen, an erstwhile spender in the U.S. Congress
    used to say: "What's a billion or so here and there???"
    
       Geesh!! Fergit dinners!! Get some PROFIT back around here!!
    
      JM

    After reading this string of replies (it's growing so fast that it 
    certainly was not an easy task!)  I felt I needed to put my 2 cents in.
    
    I joined DEC almost 11 years ago. I've seen a lot of changes. But, over
    the past few years those changes all seem to be detrimental to general
    morale.
    
    The job I had before joining DEC was teaching in a public school. I
    loved the kids (most days :^)   ), the people I worked with and the work
    I was doing. We got paid less than nothing, had no perks (unless you 
    count getting 2 months off in the summerwhicich is when you had your second
    job to help pay for food/mortgage/etc.). But, most people kept with it
    because they felt what they did mattered.
    
    The DEC I joined was like that... I felt what I did mattered.
    Management sent out letters of thank you or came by and said something
    about a job well done. You felt like it was a family or at least a
    group of very good friends. 
    
    I can't say that anymore. I still like the people I work with, but this
    has now become a just a job. I don't really care about the COE or Service
    Dinners or any one particular item. No one item is all that important.
    But taking everything that has happened over the past several years,
    the message from upper management is "you don't matter, you should be glad
    you have a job at all." 
    
    Examples:
    	layoffs mostly at the individual contributor level
    	reshuffling of redundant people for the upper levels, not TSFO
        change in benefits that impact the ind. contrib salary much more than 
           upper management level salary
    	lack of growth/promotion opportunities
    	expense crunch for the field and very little that's obvious for 
           upper level  
    	layoff of people that have been working hard, and/or bringing in
          revenue
    
    The list could go on and on. I agree that Digital is going through tough
    times. I think everyone would be willing to accept cut-backs  if they
    felt it was happening to everyone. But, the way I see it, the company
    has decided to be like a person that chops off the legs inorder to lose
    weight quickly without thinking of what the end-result will be.
    
    I agree with .87  - upper management is showing very little regard for
    the workers that made this company what it is (or was). Unless they
    figure it out, we are in a death spiral. 

    I can't believe it when I read notes from all you wingers. You just
    don't get it. We DON'T have time to wait until next month, next year to
    do something. We've been doing that since 1987 (if not earlier), As
    pointed out by a note a few back $2.8B is no small change. People just
    don't realize what deep shit Digital is in. The cancellations of
    service dinners etc is to send a message. Now I agree the absolute
    savings are miniscule. What I'm hoping is that Bob Palmer is going to
    make massive and far reaching changes. I hope this was just the warning
    bell.
    
    Remember this is not like yesterday, the board FIRED Ken Olsen. I fully
    expect Palmer to totally redo the top level management structure in
    DEC. In his one public speech to employees to date he stressed
    management accountability and respect for employees. I expect and
    sincerely hope he puts that into practice. To start with I honestly
    can't understand why we have the same COO (Jack Smith) as we did
    through all the years where something should have been done. I hope he
    goes and goes soon. Some very strong messages and ACTIONS need to start
    from the top down. The Board started the ball rolling I fully expect
    Palmer to continue in the same vein. I still have hope, I went to a
    talk by David Stone in Taylor Street the other day. I was impressed,
    sure the man has an ego the size of Mt Everest, but he exudes
    confidence and competence, He dropped a few hints that Palmer was going
    to act and act fast. Don't expect an airy fairly speech on September
    30th. Palmer has a chance to inspire his company.I hope he does it.
    But he needs to act deciseively and be consistent on follow through.
    I'm guardedly optimistic.
    
    So stop the winging. But I must admit one of the best ways for that to
    happen is to see the executive level management take the tough hard
    decisions that need to be made and LEAD from the front.
    
    Dave

    The problem isn't petty expense control, although that needs to be
    brought into line.  Its the stupid stuff, like having to carry a
    foot and a half worth (� meter for the non-US folks) of Systems &
    Options guides, Network Buyers Guides, Price Book, Software Price
    book, Easy Systems Upgrade guide, etc., when you go on a sales
    call and then spending hours of the customers' time configuring
    systems you can outline on a white board in 10 minutes; then
    taking a week and a half to get a clean quote and spending another
    two hours trying to explain it to the customer.  Or line managers
    who can't make a decision face to face with a customer, shake
    hands on it and then make it stick back within Digital (every
    damned spreadsheet should be taken away from the managers and
    their desks should be available to them for no more than an hour a
    day IMO - they are paid to lead and to manage, not cook numbers). 
    Its stupid things like our contracts setup where we track what
    seems like every nut and bolt and cable and disk and tape, when we
    should stock what our usage statistics predict we'll need and
    charge every customer a flat fee for each machine of type Desktop,
    deskside, workgroup and glass house and track nothing more than a
    count of systems.  And the systems that we track with are arcane,
    error-prone, have unreliable data, incompatible with each other,
    and simply cause more managers to spend more time with their
    stupid spreadsheets cooking the numbers.  Its silly things like
    having no clear statement of diffentiation between our O/S
    products.  Why can't someone with authority step up and say `by
    gosh, xxx is better than yyy in for this application and here's
    why and no apologies.'  Everytime we've asked for such a thing the
    group responsible for yyy pitches a fit and the statement gets so
    watered down that noone is convinced that we know what we're
    saying - and that goes for both major O/S groups and I shudder to
    think how that trend may continue when WNT starts making
    significant inroads into either's turf.

    Yeah we lost $2.8B last year.  However, much of that is being
    spent this year in TFSO and plant and organizational
    consolidations.  Our losses from operations were much smaller, but
    still nothing to write home about.  But it won't be solved by
    eliminating turkeys, or outings, or anniversary awards or
    performance awards, or car plans, or any other action that causes
    morale to plummet.  The nickle and dime approach simple WILL NOT
    WORK.  What will work will be by making Digital the company with
    whom people want to do business.  That spans many dimensions such
    as price, performance, quality, product and service delivery, ease
    of doing business (the `no hassle' factor) a willingness to say
    `Yes' and an absolute reluctance to say `No', and rock-solid
    confidence that we'll deliver on our promises.  It will also
    require that Digital be the company for whom the best people want
    to work - compensation, accountability, security, recognition,
    challenge, growth and FUN.  Fer Pete's sake, stop the floggings
    and I'll guarantee morale will improve.

    Ah well, I shouldn't note this late at night.

	Mike

    RE's:
    
    Hi, I just had mine(15 years already) last saturday. All together there
    were a mere 15 to 20 people in the situation I am. What surprised me 
    though is the fact that alot of non-jubilee's were also present. The
    general manager ok, and my manager had his 5th year, but the remaining?
    
    Ohh well, but the party was on a boat like the Mississippy(sp?) Queen,
    infact it had the same name. It was well taken care of, but that awful
    band could just as well stayed on shore. In total I got a day off xtra
    + $1000,- or so cash.
    
    bye, ;^)
    Jan.

    i don't mind missing the expensive meal, i'd just like to spend a
    couple hours over a bowl of corn flakes (i'll buy) having some very
    serious discussions with local management about what we're doing, how
    we expect to profit from it, and how we're going to measure results to
    see what really works   mwr

    a few back: I've said since I started here that DEC was too gray with
    black or white decision making skills no where it sight. (No, I'm not
    talking racial problems here people)  Hopwfully BP will be able to
    install an identity change it people that will make then feel good to
    say "No" or "Yes"; we need to get rid of "Well, maybe..."
    
    Reg.

      Re .111
      From the experiences that I've had in doing business for and with Bob
    Palmer's organization over the years, lemme ASSURE you that there will
    be NO nebulousity about direction. He AND his staff are very clear and
    concise about what the rules are and what is to be done. If the person
    or group with the task responsibility has problems with the direction
    and/or work, the expectation is that push-back will be initiated and
    the issue resolved. After that, there's no more excuse making accepted.
    People that will work with and/or for Mr. Palmer and his staff
    personnel will soon understand very clearly that they are working on a
    trapdoor. Each day that we come to work we will be expected to EARN the
    right to be there. If someone screws up and has no valid reason for it,
    the trapdoor MAY be sprung..but it may not be this time too. If there
    is a SECOND unexplicable and/or unexcusable screw-up, that individual
    or group had BETTER be pulling the rip-cord....because you can be SURE
    that the trapdoor will be sprung!!
    
      It will be refreshing to see black and white decisions and
    accountability for one's actions instead of nebulous smoke-screens and
    finger-pointing for a change!! This is, in my opinion, the way to
    success again!!
    
      JM
    
      (Also...wanna make some book on changes in sales and marketing?? If
    you think the last few months have seen lot's of changes, just hold
    onto your armrests and cinch up the seatbelt....you're in for a real
    ride!)

They've cancelled the service award dinners?
Now I can't decline to attend!

--

    re:112

    Sounds like a lack of human compassion. KO allowed people to make
    mistakes without the fear of being fired. Your note sounds like todays 
    company policy is,..."To error is human, to forgive is not company
    policy." What will happen is people will work defensively. Rather
    than try something new that might be good for the company, I'll only
    do as much as I have to and protect my own butt at all times. 

    Jim

      Re .114
    
      NOT SO!! If you go back again and READ what I said, you'll see that I
    made it VERY clear that push-back is EXPECTED if there is some
    disagreement or problem...and it will be hashed-out and agreement will
    be reached. After that though, performance is EXPECTED. A MISTAKE is
    one thing...but an inexcusable screwup is a totally different thing. If
    you've been around Digital for a significant time, you know as well as
    anyone that there are and have been a whole FLOCK of folks who's track
    records are filled with one screwup after another. In fact, there is a
    proverb in some circles in the corporation that goes:
             "Screw up-----Move up"
    
      THAT is the sort of behavior that Bob Palmer and his direct reports
    will not tolerate....and I for one think that is a GOOD thing. He nor
    his staff will not be so inhumane as to destroy people for making a
    legitimate mistake now and then...but the mistake that is repeated over
    and over will not be allowed.. Competence and delivery will be
    required.
    
      JM

    What the heck, everyone else is offering an opinion....  ;-)
    
    I've been here 23+ years.  If one accepts that years of service
    milestones are worth recognizing, and that more years of service
    are worthy of greater recognition, I don't have any problems with
    awards dinners being part of the "greater recognition" given to
    25- and 30-year employees.
    
    I went to my 10-year dinner; I was unimpressed.  The food was
    mediocre, the surroundings (Sheraton Tara in Framingham) distinctly
    unimpressive, the speeches boring, and the music nothing that I
    cared to listen to.  I didn't bother going to my 15- and 20-year 
    dinners.  If the 25-year dinner looks as though it will be of
    better quality I'll probably attend, but if they cancel it before
    I'm eligible to attend I won't particularly care.  I will care
    much more if they cancel *me* before I'm eligible to attend!
    
    From these notes, however, I am reading that some folks really
    liked those dinners...or are those upset by the cancellation
    really reacting to the cancellation of the *idea* rather than
    the cancellation of the dinner?
    
    My 5-year lunch was nothing all that fancy, but it was nice.  It
    was held at PK3, it was catered by Tobin's, the food was good
    (really!), and after the meal Ken came by and said a few words.
    It wasn't a big deal, but it made me feel noticed.  I think that's
    the main thing any sort of service award program needs to do: make
    the person feel truly noticed and appreciated.  It doesn't have to
    cost a lot of money.  
    
    I hope somebody can think of a way for DEC to notice and appreciate 
    people that doesn't cost a lot of money.  

    I don't mean to sound smug but .....
    
    It's Thursday and I've just received my weekly acknowledgement
    (paycheck) of service.  I've been receiving them for 15+ years.  I 
    won't miss the dinner one bit as my personal life is so threadbare I 
    really resent giving up a whole evening just to eat dinner with 
    (mostly) strangers when I could be eating it with my family.
    
    To substitute, I would happily settle for some respect around the work 
    place.  Have some recognition from management for the knowledge and skill 
    I use to do my job, and that I turn up every day, (mostly) on time and 
    work (actually producing something) through until 5:00.  I wouldn't mind 
    being treated like an adult either.  A sincere pat on the back costs 
    nothing!
           

    One of the things that have made service award dinners such a bore is 
    that in recent years they have had to dig down into the expansive world
    of Vice Presidents to get someone willing to speak to the troops.
    
    Ken, Jack Smith, Bob H, Jack Shields and those bigs guys never seemed
    to have time to attend.  Hey wait a minute, aside from Jack Smith,
    those guys are gone.  How is Jack Smith doing these daze anyway?
    
    Marv_with_13_yrs
     

	re .4:

>    After several weeks of nothing, I sent out a little ALL-IN-1 (spelled
>    correctly thank you) to my manager and co-workers letting them know I
>    had just hit 15 (an upbeat kind of note).  I got replies back from my
>    co=workers but STILL nothing from management EXCEPT a memo from my
>    manager to personnel asking "if this is true" (that I hit 15).

	The memo to personnel exmplifies a grossly insulting attitude
	towards employees. Managers should assume that employees are
	telling the truth.

	In "The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People" (?) there is a
	passage which nicely makes a point Digital has so far overlooked.
	The author argues that many companies have placed a strong
	emphasis on the customer, who is treated like God, but neglect
	the employees, who after all are the people who are supposed to
	give the customer this great service. He concludes that managers
	should treat employees the way they would like employees to treat
	customers. If they ask why they should bother, they just have to
	wait and see their strategies and policies ignored and their
	customers getting more and more disgruntled. You cannot command
	a person to behave courteously if you treat him/her like dirt.

	/Tom

     I have talked with employees in the past that thought they would be 
    getting an award for the fifth year.  After researching the problem I
    found that they were only beginning their fifth year,,,, and had not
    completed it...  
    
    All service awards are given when you have completed your aniversary date. 

>   <<< Note 2122.120 by WMOIS::MAY_B "IT'S LIKE THE SAME, ONLY DIFFERENT!" >>>
>                 -< Have you completed your aniverary year?? >-

>    All service awards are given when you have completed your aniversary date. 

No they're not.

I got my "5 year" holiday entitlement when I had only been with the company
for 4 years and 3 months. It is standard practice to give this entitlement
on 1st Jan of the year in which your 5th year anniversary occurs.

Craig

    
    Got my Bulova watch in the mail last week for my twentieth.

    Thankyou Digital.

    Jim

re .121

Vacation/holiday time works differently in the UK and US.
There might also be a difference in service awards (I've never
been in the UK at the end of a service-award-interval).

UK: 	Holiday time is credited to your "holiday account"
	at the beginning of the calendar year, so in effect you're
	being granted holiday in advance.

	You must use most of your time that year; you are only
	permitted to carry N days across year-end.

	I don't recall when you move to a higher rate of 
	holiday allowance.  I don't think you get any
	special allowances either (see US description for
	clarification).

US:	Your "vacation time account" is credited weekly, after
	you've worked the week.   In effect, you get X hours
	in your weekly pay-packet.

	There are no rules about year-end; instead, your account
	latches at twice your annual vacation allowance.  For example,
	if you get 3 weeks per year, then you can never be holding
	more than 6 weeks vacation time (any excess is lost).

	You move to a higher rate of vacation allowance on your
	anniversay date.  That is, you need to have been here
	for 5 full years before you're getting the 5-year rate.
	Additionally, you get an extra week (?) as a free gift
	on your anniversary.  This is pretty much equivalent to
	having been getting the 5-year rate from your 4th year
	onwards, but having the increase awarded retroactively.

	I attended my 10 year dinner about this time last year.

	I was, I guess, "impressed", is the proper word, with 
	the event. Regardless of whether it was the type of event I
	or other folks tended to enjoy, it was quite evident that
	a fair penny had been spent on putting the event on.

	But pretty much the same effect (letting me know my service
	was appreciated) would be achieved, at a fraction of the expense,
	with a low-key lunch, such as took place at my 5 year lunch.

	I'm not "mad" that they have been done away with, but:

	o The cancellation should have come earlier, in two respects:
	  First, as David Garrod mentioned, we're losing money big time, 
	  and have been for some time, the type of events should have been
	  scaled down or eliminated some time ago. Second, canceling the 
	  event after the invitations have gone out is simply classless.

	o Rather than continuing with the rather expensive events of the 
	  past, which were not always the type of evening that a number
	  of employees enjoyed anyway, why not simply have less expensive,
	  lower key events? Same (or perhaps *better*) message, less cost.
	  I would have preferred this approach for my own 10 year event...

						Tom_K

re: 2122.24

I received the memo in 2122.24 regarding the cancellation, which I believe is
distributed to every employees (since I got one).  I cannot believe how this 
memo can be distributed to everybody.  It seems the memo was intended to be
distributed only to the service recognition coordinators, but somehow it became
the official announcement memo of the cancellation.

The way I read this is like this.  Everybody, service recognition dinners are
cancelled because of the obvious reasons.  If you have been invited, here is
how I told the coordinators how to cancel your invitation (template letter
here).  You'll see this letter will be sent to your home.

I am not currently affected by this cancellation, but if I were, I would
consider the cancellation memo very rude.  Anybody feel the same way?
I am not against the cancellation, but with how it is communicated.

-santa

    .107
    
    
    Sorry, Dave....but I did consider Mr. Palmer's Sept 30th message 
    somewhat a "airy fairly speech" but that's the subject of another
    note.
    
    still waitin...still hopeful....

    I'm the guy in .65 who received an invitation to my 10 year dinner on
    Thursday, only to learn the following Monday that all such dinners were
    being cancelled.
    
    Well, my dinner was scheduled for Friday, October 2.  I have yet to
    receive *ANYTHING* from Digital informing me of the cancellation.  I
    saw the original memo thanks to a co-worker who forwarded it.  And, of
    course, I've seen all the discussion in this notes file.  However, do 
    you think Personnel would send me anything electronically?  Nope.  Did 
    I receive the letter that was supposed to mailed to each person's 
    home?  Nope.
    
    Again, I support the reason behind why the dinners were cancelled.   
    But, this is just one more example of how Digital fails to do things
    right.  I'm embarrassed for this company.
    
    Chet

    RE:  127
    
    To give credit where it is due:
    
    I was contacted by my Personnel Rep to apologize for the fact that I
    was not notified about the cancellation of my service anniversary
    dinner.
    
    I still think the timing of the decision was bad and was implemented 
    poorly.  However, I am always impressed when people admit mistakes and
    apologize.  A very professional way to handle the situation.
    
    Thanks to all involved......
    Chet

    You know, I've been following this string with some amusement. I passed
    my 5 year, and two months ago my 10 year mark, and have never seen
    mention of anything at all. I did, however, get a catalog at each time
    from which to order the appropriate bauble.
    
    You guys were lucky, at least you got an invitation!  8^)
    
    John D. 
    
    

 Service Recognition Program resumes (9-Jun)                 Date: 09-Jun-1993

                         Service Recognition Program resumes 
   
        Digital's Service Recognition Program, which honors employees for 
   their years of service to the company, is active once again with a new,
   more consistent worldwide policy and some minor changes to the recognition 
   activities.
        All employees affected by the temporary suspension of the program 
   will now have the opportunity to select their service awards. 
        In summary, the changes are:
   
        o  For the 25th service anniversary, separate banquets will be 
           held in the U.S., Europe, and GIA for their respective 
           recipients, instead of one dinner for all recipients worldwide.

        o  For the 20th, 30th and 35th service anniversary, a meal 
           outside the workplace for the employee, manager and one or
           two guests as appropriate to the country, culture and business
           where the event is being held.  
   
        o  For anniversaries at 5, 10, and 15 years of service, 
           recognition activities will be held at local group meetings
           instead of at formal events, such as luncheons or dinners.
   
        o  For all service anniversaries in Europe, employees will select 
           awards according to local practice and value limits.

        In GIA and the U.S., the changes affect the recognition activities 
   only. The certificate of recognition and the awards will continue 
   unchanged. GIA and U.S. employees will continue to select their awards 
   from the current awards brochure. Managers will continue to receive 
   certificates to present to employees.
        In Europe, the changes affect the recognition activities. An award 
   according to local practice and value limits replaces the travel 
   vouchers program. 
        For more information, contact Corporate Employee Services and  
   Recreation or your local Personnel representative.

But will the awards continue to use the clock tower?

    No, probably, the boring facade, of the MSO facility...
    
    q
    

    re: .131
    
    Maybe a cowboy hat and boots?

  Note that although most of the service anniversary dinners program is back,
there will apparently be no dinners for 15-year people. I'm sorry to hear this.
How many people who have been with DEC for 15-16 years and were caught in last
year's suspension of this program will still be here for their 20-year dinner?
  I think the real value of the dinners is not the dinner itself, but the op-
portunity to socialize with other anniversary employees and their guests, some
of whom you may never have another opportunity to meet. And, of course, the
opportunity to be personally recognized by a VP or maybe even by Bob Palmer
himself.

    What a farce!
    
    And why does the manager have to come?  (Like that was a surprise.)
    

I received my brochure and form for my 15-year anniversary service award
yesterday.  The brochure introduction still has the blurb about the clock
tower being the "symbol of the corporation" and has a picture of the Mill
with the caption "Corporate Headquarters".  I suppose it's still true...

At least they still have the "weather instrument" I've had my eye on for
all these years!  The awards for 20 years and up don't look very interesting
(lots of watches, necklaces and tie clips...)

				Steve

> The awards for 20 years and up don't look very interesting
>(lots of watches, necklaces and tie clips...)

In another 5 years, you're expected to turn into someone
who appreciates a nice tie clip.

    RE: .136
    
    I have the weather instrument....the DEC logo fell off after two weeks.
    The humidity gauge isn't even close to accurate. The thermometer
    is within 10%. 
    
    The clock...made in Japan...works well.
    
    Marc H.

    Did they stop gifts for 10 years service?

    The clock tower fell off of my 10 year mantel clock before I even opened
    the box. Super glue works for a while. This is the same clock that my
    sister in law received from another Company after 5 years. Oh well,
    it's the thought that counts right? 
    
    Thought so,
    
    Jim C.
    
     

>
>    Did they stop gifts for 10 years service?
>
No, it still going on.  I got my gift catalog yesterday.




							- Rick -

>No, it still going on.  I got my gift catalog yesterday.
    
    Hot diggety dog! I can hardly wait!
    
    					andrew

    
    Must be still going on -- got my catalog today.
    
    Ken
    

    For my 20 I selected the brass clock.
    
    Its a nice brass clock CASE. the innards are a cheap plastic quartz
    movement as used in throw-away plastic clocks. 
    
    Is the mill clock tower still on the 25 year list? 

    
    this talk about the low quality service awards, makes me think I was
    glad to just take the cross pen.

              <<< Note 2122.144 by DEMOAX::GINGER "Ron Ginger" >>>

    
>    Is the mill clock tower still on the 25 year list? 

Yes.

    RE: .145  by SNELL::ROBERTS 
    
    >this talk about the low quality service awards, makes me think I was
    >glad to just take the cross pen.
    
    The way things are going, everybody's going to get cross.
    

   I got the wall clock for my 10-year anniversary.  The clock tower
   replica fell off after about two weeks also.  It is really nice
   looking clock and the only thing from Digital that my wife will allow
   in general view (living room wall).  
   
   The best thing is that several people have commented on the clock and
   have asked where I got it.  I naturally reply, "Digital."  Three have
   responded, "Oh.  I thought they just made watches."

    > It is really nice looking clock and the only thing from Digital that
    >my wife will allow in general view (living room wall).
    
    Sorry, Steve, I just have this image of you attached to your living
    room wall and your wife covering you up with a sheet when you have
    guests around...

   Re: Note 2122.149 by SNOC01::NICHOLLS "Problem? ring 1-800-382-5968"
   

�    > It is really nice looking clock and the only thing from Digital that
�    >my wife will allow in general view (living room wall).
    
�    Sorry, Steve, I just have this image of you attached to your living
�    room wall and your wife covering you up with a sheet when you have
�    guests around...

   I am not from Digital!  I am from Kentucky.