Damned if I Know!

Monday, March 05, 2007

It Sucks To Be A Survivor. . .

If you have watched the prime time "Reality" show Survivor, you know the entire premise is built on teamwork and social acceptance, the latter being the primary issue. Each week, another person is "voted off the island," because they weren't a team player or the other people just didn't like them. . . This is why I don't watch "Reality Shows."

Over the last three years I have watched our company turn into a giant version of Survivor. Every few months the Management votes a few more people off the island. In some cases, this did get some unproductive people out of the equation. Unfortunately, we ran out of those folks about 3 rounds ago. Losing the fat is one thing, but when you start cutting away the muscle. . .

Last week I watched as nearly 33% of our salaried workers accepted "voluntary" retirement packages and left the company. I can't even begin to calculate the total years of knowledge and experience that left the building that day. Some were within a year or two of the minimum age and time of service to retire, many more were not. . . I said farewell to a lot of people I have known for years and valued not only as coworkers, but friends as well. I'll remain close to some, but will lose track of many more, simply because it will be too painful for them to continue those ties.

So here I sit, one of the "survivors," trying to figure out how we continue to do what we did with twice the people five years ago. . . We no sooner reorganize, then we have to toss it all aside and reorganize again. . . We learn to do more with less, to work smarter and resign ourselves to the fact that we still have to get it all done. . . And we do. . .

Until the next episode of "Survivor."

Yes, I know I should be happy I still have a job. . . But at what point does it become so overwhelming that it just isn't worth it any more???

Maybe those that left the island last week had already figured that out. . .

Some days I have to wonder why I haven't been voted off the island. . .

Posted by Lauren :: 8:15 PM :: 12 comments