Lost that loving feeling

[CaliforniaMan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FUEGO In DW's efforts to depart the company, she's been met with a tidal wave of reciprocal generosity. Slight hints of possibly retiring soon have been met with raises and bonuses. "I want to take my paid sabbatical now or I might just leave" was met with an extra 5 weeks paid time off last year and the full 3 months paid time off this year. Even when she resigned in September, they offered to cut her hours 20%, keep paying full time and let her work from home all the time. So she stayed. They are working to find a few people to replace her and also on-shore some of the work back from India (Raleigh workers cost less apparently...), and so far hired person with one more on the way. So far the relative transparency has been met with nothing but generosity from the company. DW is hoping for a layoff and severance since they are in the middle of massive layoffs. The boss men know she's looking for an exit.

Sorry but doesn't quite sound so much like generosity to me. More like they have been grossly underpaying her for her skills and value to the company in the past. Now to keep her they will have to pay her what they should have been paying her before.

[FUEGO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliforniaMan Sorry but doesn't quite sound so much like generosity to me. More like they have been grossly underpaying her for her skills and value to the company in the past. Now to keep her they will have to pay her what they should have been paying her before.

There's some truth to that - she's much cheaper than her coworkers getting Wall St salaries since she's not working on Wall St next to them.

However she was paid pretty well for having a very flexible schedule (work from home, leave work at 2:20 pm, etc whenever she wanted to) and only working 40 hrs/wk. And she's managed to take off a total of 13 months with pay since she started working there almost 10 years ago (plus the normal 6-7 weeks of vacation/holidays per year). 10-15% raises have been pretty common the last several years when the average employee was receiving 0-2%. In other words, pretty good comp for a very flexible working arrangement that's become a lot more flexible lately.

[rayinpenn]

Just an FYI I can't say how I'll feel after the operation but in no was was I expecting to take 25 weeks S/T disability. If I get until the new year hopefully I'll be fine.... However If it's bothering me I have no intention of coming in....




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[FreeBear]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gauss Psychologically, I feel that it is always good to go out on your own terms and hopefully on a high note! -gauss

+1

Very wise, gauss. Too many folks hung on at the old mini-Mega hoping for the "package" that sometimes never came. For some it became an obsession. I left just as I made "my number", just barely, and haven't looked back since. ER is great

[FreeBear]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brett I would have the operation and I would take as much S/T disability time as possible. It is part of your benefits package. Chances are it will be paid to by an insurance company. Say nothing to anyone about your desire to retire. Wait until after the surgery an recovery to make your plans. You will have time to consider your future during S/T disability time off. The surgery and the recovery may change your opinion/timing. I would keep quiet and keep your options open.

+1 very wise advice.

DW and her entire department got laid off the week she got back from sick leave after a major procedure. She never went back to full-time w*rk again! Sure glad to get all that work done on the company's dime.

Any surgery has some level of risk and, obviously, cost. Better let the old boss bear some of this especially if you don't have cheap platinum plated retiree healthcare. You really don't want to have to do this on ACA or wait until medicare.

FB

[MBAustin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack It is sad, but true for most, including me. I can remember how much I enjoyed my work, put in crazy hours of my own volition, advancing up the ladder, relocations, etc. Probably lasted almost 25 years, but then began a slow decline that really accelerated in the last year or two. Best we can do is leave at the top, though some companies have other ideas that we can't possibly foresee...

Very nice description of my journey to ER - in my case it was year 27 that started the decline - I left at 31-½.

[FreeBear]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rayinpenn I remember it like it was yesterday I was in my thirties - Bob my colleague 53 was a competent guy with 35 years with the company. The firm had a early retirement package/promised RIF (reduction in force) Bob was told if you don't take a package you may not have a job.. He lost about 22% (as I remember) of his pension because he wasn't old enough even with the buyout. At his retirement dinner his wife told me he only missed 1 day in all those years ... Bob had been an accident and hurt his leg - "he just couldn't lift his leg high enough to get on the bus."

Hey Ray,

I saw something similar in my late 20's and early 30's as I settled into mini-Mega and a professional career. I realized, based on the painful experiences of the older company veterans, that most careers have a "shelf life" typically extending into (hopefully) one's 50's. So I planned financially for an exit accordingly.

Training and re-training, and, more importantly perhaps, politics, could extend careers a bit, but this wasn't easy or assured. I realized if I was going to make sacrifices, then I would practice LBYM in order to save enough to buy my freedom one day. I ER'd at 46, 6 years ahead of schedule, due to a bit of good planning and LBYM and lots of God's grace. Life's great now!!

Good luck with your procedure and eventually retirement

FB

[MikeWillRetire]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreeBear Hey Ray, I realized, based on the painful experiences of the older company veterans, that most careers have a "shelf life" typically extending into (hopefully) one's 50's. So I planned financially for an exit accordingly. FB

I noticed something similar in my career as an engineer. In my 20's, 30's, and early 40's, I was relevant. But the demands of the job, and family, made it hard to keep up with the changing technology. As I approached 50, it was clear that the new employees were surpassing me because they were more technologically relevant. They didn't have to transition from hand calculations to Excel spreadsheets. From nomographs to software. They were coming out of college comfortable with the latest technological skills that I am struggling to keep up with. My knowledge and experience are losing their value quickly. Luckily, an early retirement is possible for me.

[Bflotomny]

Just to shed some light on Mega-Corp’s. Having worked for two firm’s one small and one large. For many years I was always treated well and with respect for my skills and knowledge. Both firms were family owned.
One day Mega-Corp was turned over to the younger generation of family and a bunch of Harvard trained management gurus. My boss became distant and less consultive and more direct to all direct reports. The word was that managers were not to fraternize with direct reports. The reason: it was easier to let people go when you don’t know them and their circumstances. Less than a year later a major reduction in force was made
Just something to ponder

[Calico]

Employee loyalty, dedication, and years of service used to be rewarded where I work. That all changed 4 years ago under new management.

I agree with earlier posters - those days are gone. Now it "resets" every two weeks with every paycheck.

When I am ready to leave (in a few years' time) I will give exactly two weeks notice. That is the amount of notice required in order to be paid for accrued leave.

They think nothing of walking an employee out the door with no notice (even a long-term, highly productive employee) so they are not getting one minute more than two weeks notice from me. It's a sad state of affairs, and I'm sorry that's the way they have made it, but it was their choice.

[rayinpenn]

Funny thing... At 62 you'd think I'd be out of touch with technology. Just the opposite is true I teach those newbies interested excel. I am a "wiz" (bosses description) at Visual Basic for applications, oracle, teradata, access etc., . How? I bought a book called power programming with via (now in its nth edition) by John Walkenbach. Then I bought many more books. I also took every course I could in programming when the company still paid for them. If you think the younger crowd is naturally better at technology don't believe it. It just takes effort.

I feel no pressure to leave I just know the clock is ticking and I'd like some time in the sun before it sets ... My HS Junior son is all that I'm waiting for.. I have developed a real taste for sitting in the sun, dog at my feet and enjoying the fresh air.


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[ArkTinkerer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWillRetire I noticed something similar in my career as an engineer. In my 20's, 30's, and early 40's, I was relevant. But the demands of the job, and family, made it hard to keep up with the changing technology. As I approached 50, it was clear that the new employees were surpassing me because they were more technologically relevant. They didn't have to transition from hand calculations to Excel spreadsheets. From nomographs to software. They were coming out of college comfortable with the latest technological skills that I am struggling to keep up with. My knowledge and experience are losing their value quickly. Luckily, an early retirement is possible for me.

I noticed megacorp was not paying for any courses/conferences for engineers to stay up to date. They expected us to do it on our own time and dime. Big part of why I decided to retire.

[Mulligan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gauss Psychologically, I feel that it is always good to go out on your own terms and hopefully on a high note! -gauss

It was for me, but in the field of education its A LOT easier than it is in the real world. I was simply going to retire as my administrative certificate was expiring and I wasn't going back to school. My boss convinced the state to extend it another year and then was rehired with another 2 year contract. But ultimately I couldn't follow through and retired anyways. They bent over backwards to keep me, but I couldn't muster the energy to do the job at the level I felt it deserved for another year.


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[brett]

I worked for megacorp for 25 years. Through two mergers. Plus at least one reorg per year. Downsizing started in the early nineties and continues to this day.

I had a great job, was paid very well, and enjoyed it very much until the last two years. I have been involved in downsizing numerous employees and have seen many colleagues downsized/terminated. I was fortunate to retire when I did.

I can assure you that loyalty to megacorp is in all probability misplaced. It is one way. And I say that it is quite possible that your megacorp has engaged an outside HR organization to assess employees. The assessment is based on age, salary, benefit consumption/health, vacation days, pension costs etc. Essentially the projected ongoing cost of an employee. It will be one of the tools that a megacorp may use to terminate a loyal employee. It is about today, tomorrow, and the bottom line. Yesterday and last year is no longer a consideration.

[CaliforniaMan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rayinpenn Funny thing... At 62 you'd think I'd be out of touch with technology. Just the opposite is true I teach those newbies interested excel. I am a "wiz" (bosses description) at Visual Basic for applications, oracle, teradata, access etc., . How? I bought a book called power programming with via (now in its nth edition) by John Walkenbach. Then I bought many more books. I also took every course I could in programming when the company still paid for them. If you think the younger crowd is naturally better at technology don't believe it. It just takes effort. I feel no pressure to leave I just know the clock is ticking and I'd like some time in the sun before it sets ... My HS Junior son is all that I'm waiting for.. I have developed a real taste for sitting in the sun, dog at my feet and enjoying the fresh air. Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum.

In 1978 when I was starting my consulting (embedded systems) I thought I had a good 5 years before I was obsolete. It was about 35 years later when I finally hanged up the towel. In electronics, software, testing and physics, it seemed to be the over 50s to 60s crowd that had the new ideas, and could actually make them work. But during those 35 years I had to keep changing my skills and way of thinking every decade or so. And it was easy because it was fun! That is the key, when it is fun, it is easy to keep up. When it ceases to be fun, for whatever reason, as it did for me during the last few years, then it is impossible to keep up. I was lucky because I had my own consulting business, so I could fire clients as the process got old, and hire new ones that had exciting new projects. My original plan was to never retire, just be more selective. Toward the end even though there were new opportunities, the excitement of overcoming one more engineering challenge just wasn't there. Politics and posturing, over time, the intellectual stimulation of the challenge is just beaten down, and it is time to go. Good to be FI at that point.

[athena53]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brett And I say that it is quite possible that your megacorp has engaged an outside HR organization to assess employees. The assessment is based on age, salary, benefit consumption/health, vacation days, pension costs etc. Essentially the projected ongoing cost of an employee.

Do they look at just number of dependents on the health insurance or actual utilization, like whose spouse is in chemotherapy and whose kid has expensive asthma meds? I'd think that would be illegal but hey, so is age discrimination but they getaway with it anyway.

[Sunset]

Quote:

Originally Posted by marko In my old company "I'm giving you a one months' notice" was met with: " One month? I think one hour should be all you need to clean out your desk". Our approach/thinking was having "dead men walking" created problems and often made martyrs out of those leaving. Better to just go when the time is right.

At my old company, they told me Thurs afternoon and said I could leave right away, and they would even pay me for Friday.
They were really eager to get me out the door.

I suggested I show a couple of them how to release the software. So I did.
The next few weeks they struggled a lot and soon their server system crashed for a day.

I still meet a few old buddies from that job for lunch and I don't miss the work at all

[rayinpenn]

It isn't that it isn't fun anymore, I know exactly what it is.
It is those freezing cold dark December to March mornings that I linger longer in the hot shower but I can't get that heat into my bones. It is smell of the hot gas stoves as I walk down the stairs into the heat searching out that first cup of hot coffee. All the while the down quilt, a dark bedroom and a warm bed call me back. It is how time evaporates when I sit next to the stove and reading the paper with a the dog at my feet- She too at ten seeks out the heat. All too soon It is time to start start the car that almost feels angry- the icy windows fight the reluctant defroster. It seems an eternity before I can get the car rolling. No coat can can win against the cold that is more mental then physical. It is the cold windy dimly lit cement parking garage in the crime ridden city. It is the line of people at soup kitchen next door. Seeing them I feel just a little bit colder. I can't help but wonder how did they get there and why am I so blessed?

I'm out the door fully an hour later then a few years ago- the truth is It is well past a time for a new adventure -someplace warm.


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[old woman]

My last company was great to the people never wanted to lose people. We had one man who could barely see as purchasing manager, they hired him an assistant, bought him bigger monitors and magnifying lights and did whatever they could not to lose him. His wife had to drive him to work, he was about 60 with about 20 years in and no hint of letting him go. We let his clerk go after she went senile so bad she couldn't do the job. First we had her tested for sleep problems and talked to her many times then hired her an assistant. She was 64.5 years old with about 15 years on the job. The company paid her Cobra until she was 65. The boss went to her home and helped her apply for SS and Medicare because she couldn't have done it.
I gave 4-5 months notice and was asked what they could do to get me to stay but I said I didn't need the money and didn't like driving to work. I was still given a large bonus and retirement gift after 12 years there. I hated to retire but really don't like wearing shoes. My old boss was there 41 years and many people over 35 average age was over 55.

[ejman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rayinpenn It isn't that it isn't fun anymore, I know exactly what it is. It is those freezing cold dark December to March mornings that I linger longer in the hot shower but I can't get that heat into my bones. It is smell of the hot gas stoves as I walk down the stairs into the heat searching out that first cup of hot coffee. All the while the down quilt, a dark bedroom and a warm bed call me back. It is how time evaporates when I sit next to the stove and reading the paper with a the dog at my feet- She too at ten seeks out the heat. All too soon It is time to start start the car that almost feels angry- the icy windows fight the reluctant defroster. It seems an eternity before I can get the car rolling. No coat can can win against the cold that is more mental then physical. It is the cold windy dimly lit cement parking garage in the crime ridden city. It is the line of people at soup kitchen next door. Seeing them I feel just a little bit colder. I can't help but wonder how did they get there and why am I so blessed? I'm out the door fully an hour later then a few years ago- the truth is It is well past a time for a new adventure -someplace warm. Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum.

You write really well! I felt I was there looking over your shoulder as you started your day...