I saw it when Pfizer began shifting its Connecticut operations and I’m seeing it again as General Electric ponders its Connecticut ties. Lives disrupted due to corporate decisions. This is definitely not an anti-corporate rant. Pfizer treated its employees very well during its semi-exodus from Southeastern, CT. I hope GE does so as it transitions from Fairfield County. Corporations, despite whatever legal standing “they” have as people, are simply entities that do not act with personal motives. Sometimes the core group of executives act immorally and sometimes they act “rationally” in the best interest of the corporation. In both cases, they create havoc for others. Sometimes, believe it or not, the people behind the decisions feel badly about the damage they cause. (And, sometimes, they don’t!)
All of the above is the backdrop for the powerlessness that people feel when they have been in a large company and hear rumors of potential lay offs.
A shockingly high number of employees do not engage in active career or job searches despite the increasingly loud rumors of potential lay offs. These people seem to hope that “the company” will have loyalty. It won’t. They hope they will be protected by one of their higher executive contacts. They won’t. I saw this at Pfizer when many career counseling clients came after the layoffs, despite having heard the rumors for months previously.
Those at GE – for your own sake – as you feel the heat rising, don’t be the like the frog in gradually boiling water – explore where you will jump towards NOW.
All of the above is the backdrop for the powerlessness that people feel when they have been in a large company and hear rumors of potential lay offs.
A shockingly high number of employees do not engage in active career or job searches despite the increasingly loud rumors of potential lay offs. These people seem to hope that “the company” will have loyalty. It won’t. They hope they will be protected by one of their higher executive contacts. They won’t. I saw this at Pfizer when many career counseling clients came after the layoffs, despite having heard the rumors for months previously.
Those at GE – for your own sake – as you feel the heat rising, don’t be the like the frog in gradually boiling water – explore where you will jump towards NOW.