relief
- Thread starter Handruin
- Start date
James
Storage is cool
Cobgrats! Our announcements are on the 15th...
Groltz
My demeaning user rank is
Damn glad to hear that, Doug. I had wondered from time to time how that was going for you after we discussed on ICQ.
You deserve a jar of ale, my treat.
You deserve a jar of ale, my treat.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
That has to be an awful feeling. It's good that you made it, on one hand, but it has to be depressing that your good fortune comes at someone else's expense. 
Tea
Storage? I am Storage!
Good for you, Doug.
It is saddening that people lose their income. To offset the misfortune, everyone involved in the lay off this round gets a standard 10 weeks full pay/benefits + 1 additional week per year of employment.
I knew a bunch of good people who were let go. They were doing this in the conference room across from my cube. The other thing is that every time I saw my manager, it sends butterflies to your stomach. It's unfortunate because he's a great manager, but awful because we worry he is coming to tap us on the shoulder.
Funny part is that I kept scarring one of the guys I work with. (Not on purpose) I had the same color shirt as my boss and every time I came into the lab I was scarring the other guy.
It is a great feeling of relief once we had our meeting to let us know we are done for now. No further plans of layoffs are in discussion, but things can change.
Thanks for letting me share. I've been kind of stressed for the past 4 weeks about this.
I knew a bunch of good people who were let go.
They were doing this in the conference room across from my cube. The other thing is that every time I saw my manager, it sends butterflies to your stomach. It's unfortunate because he's a great manager, but awful because we worry he is coming to tap us on the shoulder.Funny part is that I kept scarring one of the guys I work with. (Not on purpose) I had the same color shirt as my boss and every time I came into the lab I was scarring the other guy.
It is a great feeling of relief once we had our meeting to let us know we are done for now. No further plans of layoffs are in discussion, but things can change.
Thanks for letting me share. I've been kind of stressed for the past 4 weeks about this.
Jake the Dog
Storage is cool
congrats on getting through Doug!. you're obviously a valued employee.
jtr1962
Storage? I am Storage!
Glad to hear you were spared the axe-this time.
I've often thought that layoffs are a silly way to cut costs. Short term you save but long term you often pay in customer dissatisfaction. This of course assumes that those laid off weren't dead wood to start with. Nothing wrong with getting rid of nonproducers even when the company is doing well, but those laid off are frequently low-level employees who pull their weight and do much of the firm's revenue producing grunt work. Why don't companies just cut people's hours and pay temporarily instead of laying them off? That and reduction by attrition are much less painful and sensible ways to cut costs, plus most people might not mind an extra day or two off each week. Those here who work in companies where layoffs are imminent might want to suggest that as a cost-cutting measure. Also, the employer benefits by not having their unemployment insurance costs rise(which they do every time an employee makes claims), and the taxpayer saves by not paying out unemployment insurance for six months to thousands of people.
I've often thought that layoffs are a silly way to cut costs. Short term you save but long term you often pay in customer dissatisfaction. This of course assumes that those laid off weren't dead wood to start with. Nothing wrong with getting rid of nonproducers even when the company is doing well, but those laid off are frequently low-level employees who pull their weight and do much of the firm's revenue producing grunt work. Why don't companies just cut people's hours and pay temporarily instead of laying them off? That and reduction by attrition are much less painful and sensible ways to cut costs, plus most people might not mind an extra day or two off each week. Those here who work in companies where layoffs are imminent might want to suggest that as a cost-cutting measure. Also, the employer benefits by not having their unemployment insurance costs rise(which they do every time an employee makes claims), and the taxpayer saves by not paying out unemployment insurance for six months to thousands of people.
Groltz
My demeaning user rank is
Well spoken, JTR.
Of course, the managers of certain companies are so corrupt and evil that they'll promise no/reduced layoffs if they get "X" amount of people to retire and then wipe out a big chunk of workers anyway. <ahem>
Of course, the managers of certain companies are so corrupt and evil that they'll promise no/reduced layoffs if they get "X" amount of people to retire and then wipe out a big chunk of workers anyway. <ahem>
jtr-
I think healthcare costs & the requirement to fund future retirement expenses are two of the bigger hitters as far as employment costs that many don't think of. How many companies are you hearing about that are in trouble because their retirement funds are 'underfunded' by hundreds of millions of dollars? How many employers (at least the larger ones like GM) are squealing at how much they have to spend on healthcare these days (and raising co-pays etc)? Many, methinks. The *only* way to eliminate those costs (AFAIK) is to eliminate employees. I agree though. It sucks when jobs go away. It really sucks when friends from work have to go away...too.
C
I think healthcare costs & the requirement to fund future retirement expenses are two of the bigger hitters as far as employment costs that many don't think of. How many companies are you hearing about that are in trouble because their retirement funds are 'underfunded' by hundreds of millions of dollars? How many employers (at least the larger ones like GM) are squealing at how much they have to spend on healthcare these days (and raising co-pays etc)? Many, methinks. The *only* way to eliminate those costs (AFAIK) is to eliminate employees. I agree though. It sucks when jobs go away. It really sucks when friends from work have to go away...too.
C
jtr1962
Storage? I am Storage!
I agree that healthcare and retirement costs are two major employer expenses that cannot be eliminated except by laying off the employees. That being said, if I had a choice continuing my job with no health care coverage or losing it, I would certainly choose the former. I'm not that thrilled about the idea of copays, either. I would just rather not have insurance since I don't see doctors anyway. Last time I had a physical of any kind was a mandatory exam before I started college in September of 1980. Given the experiences of those I know with health care "professionals", I feel that I'm actually extending my life by avoiding doctors. Most of my relatives who lived a long time(I had three great aunts make it into their 90s, and a great-grandmother who made it to almost 103) never visited a doctor except when they got the flu, and never took anything stronger than aspirin.
The growing cost of health care is a national problem that needs to be addressed anyway. American medicine should focus on preventive rather than expensive cures. I laugh when I see all kinds of drugs for heartburn, heart disease, diabetes, and so forth when I know that most of these problems are caused by poor diet, obesity, and lack of exercise. In reality, I would say it's the national obesity epidemic more than anything else that's driving health care costs through the roof, and I'm starting to think that perhaps those who refuse to take better care of themselves should pay more towards their health care than those who do. I feel that more research money should go towards eliminating diseases not caused by a person's neglect of their body rather than developing expensive new drugs to counteract the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle. I also think that environmental pollution is the single biggest cause of cancer, so perhaps some of the money spent in medicine would be better spent cleaning up our air and water. I'm acutely aware that the medical establishment and drug companies are more than happy with the status quo since it's a cash cow, and will undoubtably fight any changes in the system.
On the retirement issue, I wonder how many employees will never see a dime of what was promised them due to Enron-type scandals. The unhappy reality is that the low people on the totem pole are paying a big price for major mistakes by CEOs, and unfortunately we'll see a great deal more downsizing before it's all over. I just wish that whenever possible employers would make a greater effort towards keeping people, even with reduced hours and benefits. There are definitely huge costs associated with getting rid of good employees. Employee morale falls, and with it customer satisfaction, sales, and profits. There are also large costs of retraining new personnel if business ever goes back to its former level and you need to hire again since it is unlikely the laid off employees would be willing or able to work for the same company again. Given that the first thing to be cut is usually the R&D budget, I wonder what the long-term effects will be on innovation. I can't help but think many companies are shooting themselves in the foot by focusing on short-term rather than long-term profits.
The growing cost of health care is a national problem that needs to be addressed anyway. American medicine should focus on preventive rather than expensive cures. I laugh when I see all kinds of drugs for heartburn, heart disease, diabetes, and so forth when I know that most of these problems are caused by poor diet, obesity, and lack of exercise. In reality, I would say it's the national obesity epidemic more than anything else that's driving health care costs through the roof, and I'm starting to think that perhaps those who refuse to take better care of themselves should pay more towards their health care than those who do. I feel that more research money should go towards eliminating diseases not caused by a person's neglect of their body rather than developing expensive new drugs to counteract the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle. I also think that environmental pollution is the single biggest cause of cancer, so perhaps some of the money spent in medicine would be better spent cleaning up our air and water. I'm acutely aware that the medical establishment and drug companies are more than happy with the status quo since it's a cash cow, and will undoubtably fight any changes in the system.
On the retirement issue, I wonder how many employees will never see a dime of what was promised them due to Enron-type scandals. The unhappy reality is that the low people on the totem pole are paying a big price for major mistakes by CEOs, and unfortunately we'll see a great deal more downsizing before it's all over. I just wish that whenever possible employers would make a greater effort towards keeping people, even with reduced hours and benefits. There are definitely huge costs associated with getting rid of good employees. Employee morale falls, and with it customer satisfaction, sales, and profits. There are also large costs of retraining new personnel if business ever goes back to its former level and you need to hire again since it is unlikely the laid off employees would be willing or able to work for the same company again. Given that the first thing to be cut is usually the R&D budget, I wonder what the long-term effects will be on innovation. I can't help but think many companies are shooting themselves in the foot by focusing on short-term rather than long-term profits.
Tea
Storage? I am Storage!
Err, why all the angst? This is what capitalism is.Always has been (read Dickens or Marx), always will be.