There was another round of layoffs at work today, a big one. Looking for the positive aspects, it did take out a couple of people who’ve been thorns in my side, but also a few more friends, which really sucks. As before, I remain reasonably confident that my own job isn’t going anywhere any time soon. However, watching the slow parade of the unfortunate march one by one into the HR office and then back to their cubes to collect their personal effects with a blank-eyed escort hovering nearby… well, I can think of grimmer sights but I prefer not to. The worst was seeing a sweet, soft-spoken man in his fifties struggle to control his tears as he took down his Ghosts calendar and laid it carefully into the top of a packed bankers box. I didn’t speak to him, didn’t say goodbye, and I wish I had. I was oddly embarrassed, as if I personally had done something to him merely by not getting my own phone call from HR. I think I can imagine what he was thinking, though. At his age — not quite old, but a long way from the eager-eyed hipsters fresh out of college who swarm through our industry like goldfish in a pet store — he was probably imagining how he’s going to look in a blue smock with “Welcome to WalMart” printed on the chest.
Not quite as iconic an image as that famous portrait Dorothea Lange captured 73 years ago, but it haunts me just the same…
This sucks. But do they have to add the escort to the insult?
It seems to be standard corporate procedure these days, no doubt to keep you from sabotaging and/or pilfering intellectual property on your way out. I understand the reasoning behind it, but I really wish they could find another way to do it, so people can leave with some amount of dignity.
Usually it’s to prevent people from taking lists of clients or other information a competitor would find valuable.
Sadly, there’s often no other way. Nothing about that process doesn’t suck.
Very, very sad. The escort strikes me as particularly demoralizing, but I see Brian’s point and there probably isn’t any way around it. Realistically, they’re probably also there to make sure no one goes postal. You mentioned that it’s hard for you not to feel guilty for having survived the layoff. It’s probably hard for some of those departing not to feel deep resentment and even hatred for the survivors at that moment. There’s nothing personal about it. Actually, the whole damn situation sounds pointedly impersonal.
Having said all that, I am very glad to hear that you yourself survived the layoff. As I’ve said before, it does reflect the good work you’ve done.
Thanks, Robert. I’m sure the quality of my work and how well I seem to be liked (if I say so myself) are definitely factors in why I’m still around, but the real reason is that I’m lucky enough to be on an active account. Everybody who was let go has been twiddling their thumbs for several weeks. It makes sense why they were let go, obviously, but it still sucks…
I’m sure you’re right about the process being designed to minimize the possibility of someone doing violence, or at least making a scene.
Brian, “taking lists of clients or other information a competitor would find valuable” is what I was getting at with “pilfering intellectual property.” I really need to be more precise sometimes. 🙂
I’ve never thought about industrial espionage being an issue in the ad business, but I suppose that firms know a lot about their clients’ business plans and such.
How are these layoffs affecting the office culture? I mean, apart from people fearing further cuts, it must be strange having so many empty desks around.
I think your new term could be a t-shirt, Jas. “No PIP”
Cheno: I do have a Cafe Press account, so maybe I’ll do some design tinkering when I get a free moment…
Robert: I doubt the concern is industrial espionage per se, so much as the possibility of taking a contact list and poaching clients away for another agency or to start your own.
As for office culture, well… the cube farm has gotten much quieter. 🙂
Seriously, I don’t know that it’s having a huge effect… people still BS with their friends when they have a spare moment and laugh at stupid jokes. There is perhaps a bit more seriousness in the air, especially when you happen to glance at one of the empty places. But life goes on.
Am I to understand, then, that “Whistle While You Work” is no longer on the song list in your part of the building?
I wish. Haven’t I ever mentioned how much I despise people who whistle at work?