Back to the Corporate World

I took three weeks off from work over the Christmas/New Year break. The company I work for was closed from 21 December until 2 January, but I took both the preceding week and the subsequent three days off. My parents were in town. I kind of had to do it. Everyone at the company was compelled to take three vacation days on 25, 27 and 28 December. We're in cost-cutting mode right now and we've been in that mode for a really long time. A really long time.

Budgets are getting slashed across the board. This quarter my department's budget is down 4% over last quarter, which in turn was reduced about 4% over the quarter before. It's a cycle that's been going on for some time. Each quarter we tell ourselves that the next quarter will be rosier, better but sure as we all need to shit, the next cut comes around. We're left little else to slash now. There are no more training dollars, no more money left for entertainment or travel. The only things left are essential services and heads.

Which leads me to the rumour I heard today: layoffs. You won't have to scrutinise the coffee grounds too deeply to come to that conclusion. When you've cut just about everything else but people and your CEO is calling for a significant ongoing reduction in costs then what else can you cut?

But it's not going to happen on the current CEO's watch. He's too avuncular for that.

Which brings me to my next event at work today: I met the new CEO. He's an affable enough guy. My first meeting with him left me impressed. He talked about the need to boost sales, which is true and I told him we're all looking forward to some new leadership, which is also true.

I reduced my inbox from about 400 unread emails to about 200. Our intranet was given a new lick of paint and it's not particularly good. I ate a salad for lunch.

In Bethlehem, PA

I'm currently in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, soaking up the hospitality of the octogenarian grandparents of The Great Organiser. They're a kindly couple who seem determined to feed me every last scrap of food contained within the house.

"Would you look at that corn! Have yourself some more. Go on, have another one."

If there's one thing I've learned about ingratiating oneself to one's hosts, it's that one should always accede to the demands of said hosts to consume more of their food. I've been dutifully obeying the rule and so far my methods seem to be working.

Just as I was about to depart from work on Tuesday afternoon one of the people who reports to me decided he'd start kicking up a fuss. He's been known to do it in the past. Personnel issues arising on the afternoon before a red-eye to JFK airport demand one course of action—pass it along to your immediate superior.

I've kept track of the email threads and it looks like it's getting nasty. I can't wait to return to the office on Monday. Woot.