Re: What to do about a disgruntled employee

Oh, Booth,

In a message dated 99-03-14 16:01:03 EST, you write:

> They don't care?  Let me ask you, if someone offered you a better job and 
> more pay, would your company loyalty be undaunting through thick and thin?  
> Or would you give notice and hit the trail?  I suspect you'd take the better
> job, and why not?  So, my question is simple: Why do they owe you something 
> you won't give them?

I haven't disagreed with you in a number of years, but must do so now.  You've
obviously been a fortunate oversight in the "downsizing" of recent years.
"Why do they owe you something you won't give them?" -- because THEY'VE been
using us like 10 cent prostitutes for YEARS!  We've given loyalty, given
loyalty, and given MORE loyalty since the advent of computers, but Corporate
America doesn't quite seem to know what to do with us IS types.  We all have a
gift, yet those that choose to use theirs get lumped in with those that choose
not to when it comes to layoff time.  _I_ didn't want to go independent, but
got so fed up with the politisisation of the process that I decided not to
seek another full time job.  Having had eight consultancies fall out from
under me due to the greed of management, and having lost a "real" job due to
the weakness of my manager, I decided that the next one would be my fault
alone.  Many people in our industry could do the same, unfortunately, they
lack the self-esteem to do so.  DON'T YOU LECTURE US ABOUT LOYALTY!  We've all
been loyal at one point or another, only to have that trust dashed on the
rocks by an uncaring employer.  Only the new folks chase the money -- those of
us that have been around a while are seeking to make the best of a bad
situation...

>  The fact is that they usually do care, and they try very hard to make
things 
> come out right but sometimes it just doesn't happen that way.  I'd be 
> awfullly surprised if they would really cut a heart out, even figuratively. 
> Most that I am aware of will offer references, offer interim support, and 
> will do all possible to ease the path for employees that were valued.

Wrong, wrong, WRONG!!!  You probably have a caring manager right now, who will
probably be toasted in the next round of upper management changes due to
buyout or austerity measures.  Some, like myself, will "go to bat" for their
employees.  Most will seek the best way to cover their a** when the "effluvium
strikes the rotating oscillator".  References and interim support are offered
when the layoff is planned, but are not offered when the layoff is due to
buyout or unannounced cutbacks.

I envy you, Booth.  I hope that you never have to find out why our industry is
in its' present "loyalty" state...

HTH,

Dean Asmussen
Enterprise Systems Consulting, Inc.
Fuquay-Varina, NC  USA
E-mail:  DAsmussen@aol.com

"It's better to look where you're going, rather than where you've been.
Especially if you're not too crazy about where you've been!" -- Anonymous
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