My company announced a round of layoffs today. 31 people got the ax. This was completely unexpected, though not surprising. My company's industry as a whole is struggling, due to the effects of the internet and our struggling economy. Many other companies similar to mine are playing out the same scenarios. Editor and Publisher magazine tells the story well here. My department was not affected (cut back the tech support folks at your own risk, people!) and was never in any danger. A small group of people within our division did lose someone, though.
I've been fortunate in my 10+ years at my company. Never before in the company's history has there been a layoff of this magnitude. I've never been present when someone had to gather their belongings and leave as I was first thing this morning (I was helping someone in that person's department.) The whole affair was a bit mucked up when our website published the news of the layoffs before we were notified internally. I don't know yet exactly who all is leaving but it's likely I knew them. That part hurts.
I was briefly nervous even though I knew I was safe. What if I did have to leave? Am I employable enough?, etc...
Luckily, I had planned ahead and took the afternoon off. I was on call after-hours for the past 7 days and had a half-day coming, as a result. The mood was uniformly somber around the building so I was glad I was leaving. The local NBC affiliate had a news reporter parked outside on the sidewalk. She asked me if I knew anything and I gave her a polite "no comment" as I walked by.
A walk in the woods seemed to be in order so I gathered up Chili and headed out to Castlewood for a few hours. The weather was perfect this afternoon; cool breezes and bluff-top views are just the thing to ease a guy's stress level.
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