The endgame.

I stopped writing about work because really, what’s the point anyway?

Nothing that happens surprises me that much and the writing is on the wall as far as the company and people go. I don’t know if I spoke before about the ‘new’ methodology that the company is implementing that takes what was a creative task at one time and now tries to move it into factory work all the while ignoring the nuances of the field.

There are battles you can fight and battles that just aren’t worth fighting.

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve had the chance to work with people from other offices across the country and during this time in casual conversation the same topics keep coming up again and again by people in my role, pretty much everyone is feeling the same way and the people at the top don’t have a clue.

Nope, they’re driven... driven to implement things in the a method and way that they’ve already determined and what’s funny is that in the process of doing this, they are actually making things harder for people to get their jobs done rather than easier.

The funny thing here is that I know what they’re trying to do and even better than that I know how it could be implemented in a better way but truthfully, they don’t pay me for that and there’s nothing in it for me whatsoever. I mean if there is one conclusion I have arrived at it’s that not only does management not want feedback, if you do have something that is a genuinely good idea they’ll pass it off as their own and not give you and credit or reward for it.

So really why bother?

I’ve managed to dodge getting booted... barely. A few weeks back my peer got unceremoniously let go. He was amputated, quickly, cleanly and without any warning at all.

I was of two minds on his departure...

On the one hand, he was exceedingly difficult to deal and work with. Several times over the course of working with him he had meltdowns, I mean instances where he was yelling at me and I had to do everything in my power  to remain calm. The last time he did it was during a meeting a few weeks before he was dismissed and the whole thing was recorded.

I didn’t complain to HR or anything though I could have. I had my own reasons for not doing so but it was a reminder yet again of how he couldn’t control himself. I might get upset but I know I was not alone in being subjected to that behavior, I had seen him do it to other people as well so it wasn’t as if I could take it personally. It didn’t make it any better but again, it just happened to be my turn for it.

I was surprised when they did it and when he sent out a note about it my first thought was that he had gotten another job but he hadn’t, they had just let him go. The thing of it is, I know I will NEVER have contact with him ever again even though I spent four years of my life working with the guy. He was a seething cauldron of unbridled contempt for anyone he deemed beneath him and it was that very arrogance that was often his undoing as people came away not wanting to work with him again. He was great at kissing ass but every once in awhile his true nature would out with a supervisor too.

Him being let go along with a few other people was just part of the overall culling process that is in the works.

It’s really just a matter of time... not for me but pretty much for everyone that was working in our office. A few weeks ago, I was training people in India and in the latest town hall aside from all the self congratulatory announcements by senior management there was also time given to the expansion of offices in other parts of the world where a day’s wage is a pittance of someone in the US.

Quality is no longer a factor and that means if you’re any good it’s time to move on.