Job loss from the perspective of a senior manager
- January 8, 2009 12:46 PM |
- By Your Voice
Submitted by Daniel Harvey
It's not easy on anyone.
Since the economic downturn (or should I say "avalanche,") I have read many articles, blogs and e-mails about how people are being affected by the economy. Surprisingly enough, I have yet to see an executive or senior manager share their thoughts and tribulations during these extremely difficult times. There is much media and opinion about the loss of employment by the workforce, but senior management deals with the harsh realities as well.
Any senior manager with the slightest amount of leadership will tell you that these are very difficult times for them as well. Job security? They don't have any more security than the worker in a plant. Even with the proverbial axe over their own personal head, senior management have to make the heartbreaking decision of who stays and who goes. Often without rhyme or reason as to the individual that is affected but simply for financial or restructuring needs. If they are lucky, this will be the hardest part of their leadership role before moving forward. If they are unlucky, they will have to take apart a company piece by piece before filing for bankruptcy protection.
Easy? Not in any way. The pressure and emotional toll on leaders is tremendous.
A true leader is not measured solely for financial performance. They are mainly measured by their ability to motivate people, to create opportunity for their people and to have genuine concern for the people around them and their families. A good leader understands that a company is a "people business, "genuinely working with people to serve people. Having to "lay off" or "let go" of any part of the human equity in a business takes an emotional toll on a true leader. The stress, the anxiety, the genuine concern for the well being of the people they work with weighs very heavily on a senior manager. So much so that many lose their health to this torturous task. Each time that decision is made, a leader loses a very personal piece of themselves.
And once this genuine leader has executed the heart breaking task of downsizing or restructuring, he/she too must face the loss of their employment as well. I know, I've been there. The first thoughts are for people the leader has had to "let go" and it quickly turns into a heavy emotion of having failed the very same people they so genuinely believed in. A sense of shame comes over them. These economic times are heartless and relentless to all, including the leaders. Each individual, at any level, pays a heavy price: loss of income, anxiety, stress, sense of failure or complete confusion.
To those I have failed: thank you for believing in me.
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Comments (16)
Even "immune" places, like Saskatoon, are facing massive lay offs. Saskatoon based Potash Corp recently laid off 900 workers, a big deal in a small city of 200,000. This is on top of hundreds of lay offs between Agrium, Cameco and Shore Gold.
The job losses are coming west. May have been slow to get here, but in very narrow, non-diversified economies, very dependent on commodities, the current commodity led crash is having a huge effect.
Typical pattern. First stock market crash, here huge losses on commodity company's stock values, then earnings losses, then huge job losses to cut costs.
Saskatoon and Western Canada need to know they may be next. Time to pay off debt. Curb spending. Not the government's fault that you owe a couple grand on the new LCD TV and then you get laid off.
We should all live within our means.
Advise your grandma would give to you too!
I have an honest question Mr. Harvey, let me bottom-line it for you:
When an employee goes through job transition they turn to E.I. When a member of the brass goes through job transition they get a plump severance package.
A payout amounting to six-figures (even after tax) would definitely lessen-the-blow for the proletariat, which now includes cubicle occupants.
I find it hard to believe that Bay St. execs drive home in their Austin Martins to cry themselves to sleep on satin sheets.
Hello,
At this time I feel that Government has to STOP NEW IMMIGRANTS to come to canada because existing population has alreay Jobless Plus new arriving people is also burden on economy plus Geverment has to Act very Strict Action against Illigle people working in canada in taking CASH Money for Jobs offering by Temerrory Agency by that means also goverment get official Tax money and Legal People get jobs in to economy and very very Dangerous is International Students working here witout Job Permit and without SIN Number this students are working on a CASH BASIS ON A LOW EXCEPTING WAGES as per goverment rulling Law for minimum Pay, This students are seriously affecting to the economy becaus they are not paying Taxes and they are grabbing a Jobs on a low wages as compare to Legal people working in Canada, and there are so many Work Agencies, Almost major Gas Station plus Grocery Stores, and many more small business offering CASH MONEY JOBS on a LOW WAGES this kind of things grabbing Jobs from Legal People and goverment is not getting single penny Tax from official Tax Payers but to avail Employment Insurance money from government.
And I believe that government agencies has to work very strict and Hard on such International students doing Illegal Jobs with a Heavy Pennalty on both Student and Employer offering CASH JOBS TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS, This action will Help to our Economy.
Having myself been hit with the surge of layoffs recently in my city, I would not even think of bashing Mr. Harvey or his heartfelt letter. I believe that his comments are honest. I am now faced with the long and stressful wait for EI - a choice that has been forced on me due to the thousands and thousands of layoffs. Yes, I wish I had that huge severance that "brass" employees have (I might add) negotiated and possibly worked for. However, Mr. Wongs comments are logical and factual. Anyone knows that when one loses his/her job due to layoffs/downsizing/restructuring (call it what you want) that at some point in time it becomes a personal hit. Human nature, that's all.
We all need to "live within our means", cubicle workers, high level management as well as large corporations/businesses. Greed and arrogance in the end will affect all of us negatively in one way or another. Given the current state of the economy,,,,,,it's very very clear to me where the issues lie.
Firing someone is the most stressful part of the job. Sending them out into a very uncertain world, often through no fault of their own, is gut-wrenching.
My hope is that placement firms and employers recognize that this period will create, let us say, non-linear career paths for many worthwhile people.
People will have to scramble to find, for them, unconventional employment. It's about the ability to adapt. The experience is succeeding in unfamiliar circumstances.
When the time comes to hire back, be aware that the breadth of experience is a big plus.
Doug Wong is absolutely right about living within one's means.
As a first generation immigrant, living on my own since the age of 17, I put myself through school while working at two different menial jobs.
I never applied for any sort of government assistance, much to everyone's amazement.
All of that hardship however did not prepare me for what i was about to discover after nearly 9 years of school.
I was not able to land a position(even as a mail-room clerk)that paid more than $20/hour because I did not belong to any religious or cultural groups which translated to no connections.
I had 20 years of perfect attendants, no sick or injury days. Always showed-up to work with only a 20 minute notice, worked all holidays, mother's days & special events, sometimes till 4am. Worked many, many 10, 14 & 16 hour shifts but no connections.
I finally gave-up my search in 2006, far ahead of any economical downturn.
So ask me if I feel sorry for any high-school graduate with 20 years of "service" that is getting laid-off.
Ask me If I care less about anyone that collected $30-$50/hour with no savings.
Ask me if I care about those folks who have to give up their company cars, reduce their vacations (to two a year instead of four), Take a pay cut(to $20 or $30/hour), Golf memberships or have to sell their $500K properties & I think you will know the answer.
I hope that I didn't offend too many of you just hope that you now know that not everyone unemployed or earning less(read far less)than you is either stupid, lazy or illiterate only not connected.
I too agree with the posting about stopping the immigration. When I go to Toronto I feel like I am the Manority now. In Rural Areas all that are offered are Part Time positions. 10-15 hours at best at minimum wage. Sure the only Jobs here that offer a good pay are looking for Geriatric Nurses at approx $23/hr. But look at those ads again...lucky to get 23 hours a week! So now That wage Cut in 1/2 is what you actually have to live on based on a 40 hr/week! What irks me is how my company I work for can justify a wage freeze...and scrap the "profit" sharing Checks because they say we can't afford it....Ummmm lets look at this picture. They laid off a bunch of people in Sept...So major machines are not running...now they save on Hydro and pays...we are working at minimum wage or darn close to it in compared to our other counterparts in other local areas. And they have never really paid out sufficiant raises. For example a person can work over 10 years and still only make Barely $10/hr!!!Yet the cost of our product and services are charged an extreme amount. Lets face it, the only thing these companies want by laying off is a higher profit Margin so they don't have to pay out wages. This is very evident here where now they expect 1 person to do more multitasking and do the work of three people to the point were burnout is going to happen.
I don't feel these Bailouts are needed...Why??? just so they can gather up enough money to move to Mexico where wages are next to nothing???? I for one am going to try very hard to Boycott anything that used to be made here in Canada that is now being made in Mexico. These companies are too closed minded to do the math....The jobs they take way from us here mean that we won't have the money to buy thier products that are produced in Mexico. So thier Product are Virtually unwanted or rendered useless when people don't have the jobs to make money to buy them! Very elementary. Free Trade has Hurt us all as well as these Unions, it all should be scrapped. Strikes should not be allowed if your basic wages are over $45,ooo/yr unless you are fighting for safer working conditions. If you strikers that are unhappy with your jobs that pay over lets say $60,000/yr then push out and let others who want to work, work .. I know myself I would be happy if I made a little over 1/2 of that!!!! If there were more jobs to go around then we would not be in this mess. We sent our industries down south and if we cut back all these guys that keep clocking in 20 + hours of overtime a week then maybe we would have more jobs to spread around and a better quality products because these guy won't be as tired to mess up at work.... there alone will save the companies alot...Less compensation claims....less overtime wages paid out...less product returns for poor workmanship ETC. These are what I see everyday in a company that is closing the doors in my Town and moving to Mexico!!! Thank you to the useless Government for allowing all this to happen in the first place. The large Tax hikes here are not even reasonable and we get less services...BANKS BEWARE...No one can pay the taxes and mortgages so you will have lots of homes on your laps that no one wants because they have no jobs to afford to maintain them. So maybe all these Immigrants should all be sent to Mexico since that is where all the jobs are going!
RE: Darius London
"And I believe that government agencies has to work very strict and Hard on such International students doing Illegal Jobs with a Heavy Pennalty on both Student and Employer offering CASH JOBS TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS, This action will Help to our Economy."
It is true. Lots international students are working without working permit. The students know where to get a job wihtout working permit. But no body care. Becasue the employer won't be punished because of hiring international students without working permits. Besides, the government agency did not protect people who report illegal worker. Instead, the government revel this information to the employer who hire illegal international students. So, who care.
The internations students do not even pay the health care fee. And no one take care of that.
Thank you for your thoughts Daniel.
If I read the comments by my fellow Bramptonian Manish it appears our social fabric is about to get unravelled. The subtle immigrant bashing is utter nonsense.
With all the economic growth in the past, how can we Canadians explain that 48 pct of our adults or 11 million people donot have the literacy skills to carry out basic activity as reading a bus time table or a school permission slip.
As a society where did we drop the ball ? Did we prefer tax cuts to funding adult literacy programs ? each for his own and to hell with the 11 million.
The new generation immigrant stock come to Canada with double degrees.
As for all of us, let's live as grandma told us. To live within our means.
To you all, be strong, fear NOTHING, for you are bigger than you think you are.
This too will pass.
I can well understand Daniels comments and believe he is, or was, associated with a fairly small company, as having mostly worked as an Accountant+ within a small company, I had cause to also work closely with the people in production, shipping etc., to the point where we were like one big happy family. With closeness like that, I can understand his comments, which could also possibly apply to middle sized companies. However, I doubt very much that Managers in large Corporations, with constant turnovers of staff through layoffs etc., feel the same way.
Earlier this year, the Harper government announced that, with the creation of the Canada Employment Insurance Financing Board, it was ending the practice of dipping into the EI fund. However, it also indicated that it would not be returning the $50+ billion already removed from the fund. Various labour and business commentators have noted that this amounts to a form of “legalized theft,” given that the fund was entirely accumulated from employee and employer contributions.
My EI runs out in 6 weeks. I'm screwed.
Welcome to the third world.
Re: Comment From Antoine
This person asks why People are Illiterate! Well I can only gather she Did not go to school around here. Only if you are rich can you get a top notch education in private school. Nowadays they don't Fail students very often and the Educators rely on SIGHT READING NOT PHONICS...maybe people should stop and look how Education in the elementary schools have declined.
Spelling Dictation??????? What's that? Basic Math...again What is that? Now we only care how pullies work and Estimating our math...Not good cold hard FACTS! Next time maybe one should look at the text books our kids are made to learn from...Like the Nelsons math ...most of which is "ESTIMATING" The Educators might spend two week on addition then carry on to subtraction for a short time then jump to something else...Therefore they are not making sure the students have learned the basic facts, because the Governement Demands they teach these subjects fast at an early age and NO ONE GETS IT! Society allowed them to do this. So it is Society to blame for all the illiterate people now a days because we are not allowed the time to learn properly...unless you are rich!
This person says we have had "economic Growth" Has this person not read the papers lately....Even the PM states it is an econmic Crisis..Wake up people we are slowly becoming a third World Country just like Robert said...Dictatorship with all the new laws is more and more apparent . This Society Makes A big To Do about Veterans...naming Highways after them. Like every day seems to be Remembrance Day anymore...Then if this is so important then why is Society Forgetting about our Freedom that they fought for? Our Freedoms are being Comprimised now and no one seems to care so did these Veterans fight in vain?
Suddenly it came to be that I too am on those tracks. I don't know where they are going, I feel so alone yet know that ahead of me and in the shadows of today's sorrows others are behind me. Eventually I'm going to collide with this massive black steel -a powerful jolt- that will hurl me into an existence I never prepared for. Can anyone prepare for an engagement with a lightening bolt? Will we survive this trainwreck, will we lay the same tracks? We cannot stop the world from spinning yet somehow I wish it would just stop spinning so my life could stop unravelling out of control. What therefore do I cling to? The souls of those I truly love a survival gift not from this world but from above. (to be posted on job and potential home loss)
To Elizabeth McCabe,
Try not to worry too much. The situation is somewhat out of your control so why not go with the flow?
No-one as elequantly worded & inteligant as you will/should remain unemployed for long.
Sometimes after emerging from disasters we rise to an elevated state, like Phenix from ashes.
You are loved by your creator & your friends & family.
Hang in there Elizabeth,
GodYesOrNo.com
Stop being afraid!! The Economy may be getting worse but I truly believe that negativity feeds off negativity! We are surrounded by the bad news everywhere we go. The media really needs to slow down their negative coverage of the Economic problems. Do we need to know the exact numbers of layoffs all the time anyways? We just need to live our lives and if we should be affected by a layoff then we need to remember that there are always options to help us through it! We cant let the media scare us! Fear can ruin an otherwise postive and productive life!
In my opinion I think they are being lenient with the fact that senior managers are the cause of many layoffs, in the end they´re are less affected in terms of the same. We know very well that when a company begins to restructure the first to suffer are the plant employees, we are being compassionate to the "emotional charge" that can handle a senior manager ... but where is the human part of one parent or child who has been out of work? They are who will ultimately have to bear the burden of a dismissal not only emotionally but also financially.
It is well known that different economies of the industry are being affected by the aftermath of the financial crisis, that massive layoffs are nothing new these days and that was largely due to the fall of Wall Street; More than useless mourn over spilled milk, although it is difficult to keep a job, it will be more difficult to create a business company, but in this way 1 we will be creating jobs and 2 Would create a small-scale economic recovery. Well it is just one opinion, the truth does not seem fair to be concerned by a senior manager, where the vast majority still retains its well-paid jobs and are they who will ultimately cause many redundancies.