“It’s business, not personal”

I’ve been watching two of my favorite movies this week: Godfather, Parts I and II. I’m partial to Part II myself, but Part I has a great scene that reminds me of something I was told the day I was laid off.

It’s the scene where Sonny Corleone and Tom Hagen and others plot their next move after Virgil “The Turk” Sollozzo shot their father, Vito, the Godfather. Michael Corleone is also present, after having his jaw broken by a corrupt cop.

Hagen reminds hotheaded Sonny not to get carried away with revenge, that what Sollozzo did was “business, not personal.”

Then Michael, who has so far stayed out of the family business, chimes in, saying he should be the one to kill The Turk and the police captain. Michael insists that it’s not personal, it’s business.

Well, of course, it’s personal. Anybody with a spit of Italian blood in them (like me) knows this is about as personal as it can get. Every decision Michael makes from then on is made from a sense of personal revenge, a lifelong vendetta. His enemies shot his father, killed his brother and blew up his Sicilian bimbo wife (“Michele, Michele." BOOM!). How could he not take that personally? (However, even I think he went too far when he had his brother, the poor, pitiful Fredo, killed.)

Yet, companies insist that massive layoffs are done for business reasons, not anything personal versus their employees. Yeah, right.

During my layoff meeting, I was told it was a business decision and no reflection on my work.

Well, I beg to differ. While I agree companies must cut back in hard times when revenues are lean, how those layoffs are handled bring in a personal element that is unsettling to say the least.

First, why are some people given the power to lay off other people? Why are they the chosen ones?

Any company that laid off people in late 2009, as I was, knew those tossed-aside employees were facing a difficult employment market and would be out of work for a long stretch of time, as I was (16 months). Our lives were being disrupted through no fault of our own.

When someone is out of work for that long, how can they expect to feed their families and pay their mortgages? What companies see as purely a business decision has devastating personal ramifications on the people they put out of work. How is that not personal? But I guess these corporate overlords can justify anything as long as profits are high and their bonuses keep rolling in.

As is so often the case, after I was laid off, I found out some things that made me wonder just how much of the decision to terminate my employment was based on personal, rather than purely business factors. Such as:

Another editor with less time in the company and who was making more than me was retained. Was he more valuable to the company than me? Perhaps. But perhaps he was kept on because he was the boss’s handpicked lapdog.

The day before I was let go, three of my former colleagues argued in favor of keeping another colleague scheduled to be laid off the same day I was. Why? Was it because he was popular and was one of the cool kids? (Yes, the workplace is just like high school.) Or was it because, as I later learned, one of those colleagues was lazy and afraid if they laid off this person his workload would double? So, I was thrown under the bus because of another person’s laziness?

In the two years leading up to my layoff, the head of the department systematically terminated the employment of anyone who was near him in seniority. Again, he said it was because we were making too much money. But was he afraid of having experienced people around who could replace him? After all, he was making more than any of us. Our parent company could replace him with any of us for less money. Now that there is nobody left but only his handpicked puppets and less experienced staff, his job is safe.

He was also someone who didn’t like it when co-workers, particularly women, questioned him. Was he trying to get rid of people he considered troublesome employees so he could surround himself with his personally selected acolytes? Just asking.

So you see, companies may justify their layoffs by saying it’s done for business reasons. But the impact on those they lay off is very personal. And how can we be sure that those making the layoff decisions aren’t bringing in their own personal feelings (vindictiveness? favoritism? insecurity?) into the equation rather than a purely business perspective? It’s a system ripe for unfairness and abuse. How can they expect us not to be pissed off when we get the boot?

Therefore, when a worker is called into a room and told they are being laid off for business reasons, the perfect response would be:

"Vaffanculo"

Let's Make a Deal

Frankly, I’m getting a bit sickened by what is going on in Washington, D.C. Our so-called leaders are supposed to discussing how to tame our monstrous national debt. But they seem more interested in sliming the other party instead of working out a deal.

The Republicans seem more intent on putting the blame on President Obama so they can win the next presidential election. They also seem to care more about protecting tax breaks for corporate jets than helping the average working person.

They would rather cut benefits for unemployed people and seniors than making Wall Street fat cats pay a penny more in taxes. Shameful.

Meanwhile, the Democrats aren't coming off much better. Yes, they want to protect entitlement programs, like Social Security. Good. But the deficit is out of control and some cuts must be made. Why not make Social Security and Medicare a means-tested program? Those who have more resources should pay more. Raising the retirement age is another reasonable option. Again, the Democrats aim to make the other party look bad…and the Republicans are making it easy for them, I must say.

This all brings me back to the unemployed. If a debt deal is not done, states will surely cut unemployment benefits. Not good for someone who has been out of work for a year or more with no hope of getting employed again.

Most ominous of all, if the nation defaults, companies will cut even more workers, killing a fragile recovery and pushing the unemployment rate even higher.

Some politicians, mostly Republicans, think unemployed people are lazy. Not true! We want to work. But if their corporate benefactors won’t hire, then we can’t work. We need jobs. But companies are more concerned with piling up profits, not keeping people employed.

Hey, if the NFL owners and players could get a deal done, why can’t our politicians? People will suffer all because of their political game of chicken.

So, please, get it done, guys!

Being George Clooney’s Girlfriend

By now, we have been shocked, shocked to learn that George Clooney has broken up with his most recent girlfriend, Italian stunner Elisabetta Canalis, after dating for two years.

None of this should have come as a surprise. George has made it very clear he has no intention of ever marrying again. And there is nothing inherently wrong with that. At least he is honest.

Yet I can’t fault the girlfriend either. After two years of dating, she was perfectly within her rights to ask if the relationship was going to the next level (marriage). Alas, here were two people with different outlooks on the future.

Nevertheless, both got something out of the relationship: He got to be seen with an age-inappropriate hottie on his arm at movie events. She got to spend time with one of the most handsome and eligible guys in the world at his villa aside Lake Como in Italy. Hey, I’d make that trade-off any day of the week.

So, what does this have to do with employment (and unemployment) in the 2010s? A lot. Here’s why:

No long-term commitment. As an employee of any company these days, you cannot expect your bosses will commit to you long term. When things turn bad, you will get the boot faster than, well, a girlfriend of George Clooney.

Leave after two years. Really, Elisabetta should have seen this coming and moved on a year earlier. He usually doesn’t stay with one woman for much longer than two years. So as an employee, lay the groundwork for your exit no later than two years after your hire. Take control of the situation before you get the heave-ho. It’s gonna happen, so why prolong the inevitable?

You will get screwed. And I don’t mean in the good way.

Both George and Elisabetta will end up fine. He will get another pretty young chickie to squire around to show he’s not getting old. She will get movie parts and modeling gigs and another rich boyfriend.

The same cannot be said of the millions of unemployed people still waiting for a job.

Oh, and George: Call me.

Disposal Workers

I read something recently in one of those advice columns. A woman wrote in, telling her story of how she was laid off from her former employer after more than a decade with the company.

She said she still felt bitter and angry about her termination, and was still obsessing about her former company. The advise columnist wrote back that she should basically get over it, move on, and that her former employer owed her nothing for her years of service.

Yes, the columnist made a good point. I freely admit I let my bitterness and resentment over my layoff consume me at times (but never to the point where I stopped looking for another job).

However, my second thought was that the advice columnist has probably never been laid off, and has always worked freelance or been her own boss. So, how can she know what it’s like to be laid off after many years with a company?

Is this what it has come to for millions of working Americans? We’re nothing more than disposal paper cups to be tossed aside when we have outlived our usefulness to our corporate overloads?

I understand companies must make staffing cuts to survive in harsh economic times (although I’d like to think there are other solutions). But it seems to me that all the power has shifted to the executive suite and workers have little or no say in the matter. Where is the balance? Where is the fairness?

Companies expect loyalty from their workers, but what are they giving us in return? No job security, no raises and crappy health plans.

Are we nothing more than disposal workers?

Computer Phobia

So, I’ve been on my new job for more than two months now and it’s getting a bit easier. At least my body has gotten accustomed to waking just before the sun rises.

My boss has liked my work so far. However, in a few weeks, I will be confronted with my old nemesis: technology. Due to someone leaving the company, I must learn new duties that include being trained on new computer programs. I don’t mind the extra work, but learning new technology has never come easy for me. I trace it back to my first job, when we trained on a new computer system (the first Apple computers, really) and my trainers openly mocked my inability to learn quickly enough for their tastes. Geez…have I spent my entire working career around total jerks?

I have become friendly with a couple of people in my office who can perhaps help me on this program, which, by the way, is going to be changed in two months. Great…then I have to learn another computer system. Yet by all accounts this new system is easier. Let’s hope.

This brings up another set of issues, beyond just learning new systems and more duties. Just how much work should I do for this company? A few weeks ago, I did some work over the weekend. Should I have done so?

At my previous place of employment, I worked my tail off, did two and three jobs for them, took work home on the weekends…and where did it get me? Laid off. So why bother extending myself?

Of course, I want to do a good job. Never again do I want to endure an extended period of unemployment.

But I sometimes wonder if companies are taking advantage of this sluggish job market to force workers to work even harder for little or no raises. (I’m making much less than at my previous job and who knows when I will get a raise.)

The attitude of employers is that we are lucky to have a job and if we complain, well, go find another job. But there are no jobs to be had, despite what some politicians and economists say.

What should I do? Well, I’ll try to learn the new technology to the best of my ability (albeit not very quickly) and find a way to squeeze more work into my day.

Until they lay me off.

Double Dip

We’re headed for a double dip…and not in a good way.

Unemployment is inching up as employers still refuse to hire. The housing market is still sinking. Natural disasters in the South and Midwest are taking a heavy toll both financially and emotionally. Are we headed for a double-dip recession?

We could be.

Some pundits argue that we should load up on national debt in an effort to create jobs. Others want to reduce the debt, regardless of how it shreds the social safety net. Who’s right?

Should we raise taxes? Rich people are angry because they don’t want their money taken away and given to those who they deem lazy and unworthy.

Corporations say they can’t hire because of excessive taxes and regulation. However, there is no assurance they will hire if taxes and regulations are lightened.

Meanwhile, companies and even state governments are crushing unions. So who is speaking up for the middle class?

Rich people and big corporations have lobbyists and can buy influence with politicians. But who is sticking up for the little guy? At one time, it was the unions, but their clout has been nearly obliterated.

I’m no fan of debt. But I don’t think we can get out of this situation by cuts alone. Taxes must be raised, but it should be done fairly, where everyone pays their fair share.

If the economy falls into another recession and workers are cut en masse, I don’t think those laid-off workers will go as quietly this time around.

Flashbacks

I had an incident of PTLS, otherwise known as Post-Traumatic Layoff Syndrome, at my new job last week.

Two people from the HR department of the parent company visited my satellite office for the day. The head of HR immediately went into a closed door meeting with the head of the division. So, of course, I freaked out a bit (ok, a lot). HR + closed door meeting with head of division = layoffs. At least that’s how it happened at my previous place of employment. The big guns shut themselves off in their corner offices and decide who stays and who goes. Nice work if you can get it, eh? And why are some people given the power to make those decisions? What makes them safe from termination?

Crazy thoughts went through my head: Would I get laid off again? You know, last one hired, first one fired. Had I been there long enough to qualify for unemployment? Good thing I didn’t buy that new iPhone. How long will it take me to get a job this time around?

My immediate boss assured there was nothing to worry about. In truth, it may just have been that the HR lady was making her normal rounds of the satellite offices. Apparently, there was a major meeting of the company’s board the same week. Not that there was any formal announcement to us peons. I only knew because I saw a printout at the copy machine.

Actually, nothing much happened, except they bought us lunch. (Our last meal?)

Still…after having been through a layoff, and all the attendant rumors and stress that goes before and after the event, it’s hard not to be a bit skeptical and wary. These days, no one is safe. So excuse me if I’m being cynical. Frankly, I don’t trust any HR person or superior anymore.

It also got me thinking, if you know you are going to be laid off, what can you do, if anything?

After having been through the ordeal, here are some of the steps I took, or should have taken:

Talk to your boss. Admittedly, this is a tricky proposition and one that takes a good measure of courage. No boss is going to tell you are about to be laid off, fearing you might make off with company secrets. Yet, if you do take the initiative and talk to your boss in an honest, straightforward and unemotional manner, perhaps something can be worked out. You can say, “Look, I know the company is in financial trouble and my job may be on the line. Is there anything I can do to save my position? If not, can we discuss the possibility of doing some type of freelance or contract work for the company?” Even if you get shot down, you will always know that at least you took proactive steps to possibly save your job, instead of doing nothing and just waiting for the ax to fall like some powerless rag doll.

Pay off your debts. If you know the end of regular paychecks is near, best to pay off your debts as quickly as possible, even if you have to dip into your savings to do it. Unemployment covers the basics, but not much more. And if an emergency arises and you must use your charge card, at least the balance will be low. During my unemployment I had to buy a new computer after my old one literally went up in smoke. Then, my car needed new brakes (who knew brakes had rotors and that the rotors could, you know, break?). You simply pay the minimum each month until a new job comes along.

And let’s hope at that new job you don’t have any flashbacks. I say one layoff in one lifetime is just enough.