Tales from a botched reorg

[Lakewood90712]

Paid relocation at least takes some of the sting out of it. Cost of living (Real Estate) varies a lot on the west coast, as does the weather in relation to distance from the ocean. CA property tax rates are low, however income and sales tax rates really stink.

Hope it is a for profit co. I left Mega Corp in 2000, for work in municipal gov't . Employment issues in the gov't sector are really bad now. I would gladly go back to Mega Corp, and work for the worst boss I had back in the , er , uh , good old days. Most of the nut-case bosses here in Govnm't would not be last even at the most evil mega corp.

 

[Rambler]

Paid relocation at least takes some of the sting out of it. Cost of living (Real Estate) varies a lot on the west coast, as does the weather in relation to distance from the ocean. CA property tax rates are low, however income and sales tax rates really stink.

Hope it is a for profit co. I left Mega Corp in 2000, for work in municipal gov't . Employment issues in the gov't sector are really bad now. I would gladly go back to Mega Corp, and work for the worst boss I had back in the , er , uh , good old days. Most of the nut-case bosses here in Govnm't would not be last even at the most evil mega corp.

Ah, California. Love the weather most of the year, but we produce way too many fruits and nuts.

R

 

[donheff]

Don't go! This employer would be grist for hundreds of funny posts. What would have happened if Scott Adams had left Crocker Bank and Pacific Bell?

+1

 

[chinaco]

It sounds like someone was brought in to change things or thinks certain things need to change... That never goes over well with long-term employees at any organization. Even if pay is not affected, it challenges the status quo and shifts the balance of power around. That is probably part of the reason for the upper management departures.

I have not worked at any organization where someone new comes in and everything just flips into dysfunctional mode. Those dysfunctions were there all along. This type of event just gives a louder voice to it.

I'll bet, everybody was probably complaining like crazy over the last number of years about how FUd the organization is... Apparently someone is making some changes.

From a management perspective...The best thing for the organization would be to go ahead and get rid of as much of the the dead wood as possible... everybody is already upset... might as well take advantage of it. Note: I am talking about the people that do little to nothing... except impede progress... all organizations have them. They survived because they were protected by some long-time friend that rose to upper management or because a lower level manager has been avoiding the uneasiness of dealing with them for years.


Watch... some people will take advantage of the changes and thrive.

 

[MichaelB]

We got a missive from above, which was a claasic of its kind. Among other things, it acknowledged the recent departures and said that this is a good thing because it means that the business climate is improving and it helps [-]infect[/-] spread to other firms our culture and view of the world. Uh, yeah, right.

Sometimes executives know very well what's going on but (much like politicians) then make the mistake of thinking that the common folks believe their BS - 'cause nobody has the balls to tell them otherwise.

Meanwhile, I got an offer out West. Its not quite up to what I want, but workable and the hiring manager hinted that there is wiggle room so I think we can work it out. It will involve a messy relocation, but I escape the mess here, get to do interesting work, and get my post career move paid for now. Plus I will be able to look up Dex.

Now that's good news. Hope this assignment brings you closer to FIRE and makes work less painful. Same work or something different?

Where does Dex live?

 

[brewer12345]

Chinaco, this place is not a for-profit company and just about never has layoffs (the one time in modern history they did one resulted in a class action suit for age discrimination which resulted in a large cash settlement to the plaintiffs). So cleaning out the deadwood is never done. As a matter of fact, the people splitting now are easily the most competent and effective in the organization and what is staying is the oxygen wasting detritus that has accumulated over the years. There is never any real consequence for these members of the "furniture" class and they protect their sinecures by developing advanced asset kissing skills, which seems to be the main criteria for success in some cases. I do not see any of this changing any time soon, and in fact the ""layoff" of the top 25% of the staff via people quitting will continue the cycle nicely.

The new spot is at a sister organization which has some of these issues, but far less severe and the layers of management are about a quarter of what I am dealing with now. The new org is smaller and the ratio of management to staff is a lot lower than where I am now. In addition, the function I am going to is newly created without a whole lot of precedent, so I should be able to shape how things are set up. I this does not work out, I only have to stay for a year to avoid paying back the relocation and some up front comp, and if I can last 2.5 years I will finish vesting in a pension since my service time carries over from the place I am currently working to the new spot.

After a tw decade career spent at half a dozen organizations, I keep thinking that they can't all be so massively screwed up. So far I have only found one that was not, and it fell apart in the financial crisis. Maybe my standards are too high.

 

[brewer12345]

I think I will be re-enacting this Southpark episode by moving, just for Dex' benefit:

It's a Jersey Thing (Season 14, Episode 9) - Full Episode Player - South Park Studios

 

[MichaelB]

After a tw decade career spent at half a dozen organizations, I keep thinking that they can't all be so massively screwed up. So far I have only found one that was not, and it fell apart in the financial crisis. Maybe my standards are too high.

Not your standards. These places exist - they usually don't have vacancies 'cause people don't leave, and on those rare occasions they do, they don't advertise.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Congrats on the offer. And think of the travel trailer opportunities that await your family out West! Good for you!

 

[kcowan]

Good luck Brewer with whatever your choice is. It all sounds pretty complicated for a retiree! Last time I had to deal with downsizing was in 1997 and I initiated it. But we had to pay out all 150 employees who got terminated.

Your current employer seems to have stumbled upon a cheaper way to accomplish this!

 

[chinaco]

...

After a tw decade career spent at half a dozen organizations, I keep thinking that they can't all be so massively screwed up. So far I have only found one that was not, and it fell apart in the financial crisis. Maybe my standards are too high.

Yes they can and many are! The grass is usually not greener on the other side... just a different shade of greenish brown and often loaded with weeds!

You will have to turn that part of your brain off or it will drive you crazy!

With that in mind... If you have to change jobs or employers... the best thing to do is try to maximize your income (balanced with job security and staying sane of course). Every extra $ you earn today is one less $ (time) you will be shackled to it.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I wish there was a pithy saying contest so we could nominate this phrase by Brewer:

...the oxygen wasting detritus that has accumulated over the years.

Think of the megacorp morale-boosting coffee cups/tee shirt possibilities: "You're either part of the solution or you're the oxygen wasting detritus that has accumulated over the years."

 

[Alan]

Good luck Brewer, I know what you are going through. I sent this old joke around my old megacorp a few years ago which was going through multiple re-orgs. Simply replace "Government" with the company you work for and it will probably fit.

New Element found in Organization Theory

The new element, Governmentium(Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.
These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact.
A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second, to take from four days to four years to complete.
Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2- 6 years; It does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.
In fact, Governmentium’s mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes. This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration.
This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass. When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.

 

[Gumby]

I wish there was a pithy saying contest so we could nominate this phrase by Brewer:



Think of the megacorp morale-boosting coffee cups/tee shirt possibilities: "You're either part of the solution or you're the oxygen wasting detritus that has accumulated over the years."

Back in my submariner days, we called them FLOB's -- free loading oxygen breathers. Since we had to generate all our own oxygen on board, it was expected that everyone would earn their proportionate share of the O2. FLOB's were very few and far between, and so especially notable.

 

[Nords]

The people that have left over the past week are the cream of the crop, including someone who got an award given to one person in the entire organization each year that comes with a substantial cash prize. I hear through the grapevine that there are a whole bunch more who are readying their exit strut, too.

Meanwhile, I got an offer out West. Its not quite up to what I want, but workable and the hiring manager hinted that there is wiggle room so I think we can work it out. It will involve a messy relocation, but I escape the mess here, get to do interesting work, and get my post career move paid for now.

Congratulations! I thought I heard a shoe poised to drop.

If you're coming from Jersey then it's hard to see a downside to this move.

FLOB's were very few and far between, and so especially notable.

... and quickly qualified or suffocated...

I still have my copy of my submarine Battery Charging Lineup Officer qualification card, which was created specifically to give young ensigns [-]something to do[/-] a vital crew-support mission during midwatches. I think I was given two weeks to complete the qual, and I was informed that I'd be finished in 72 hours.

 

[kcowan]

I was given two weeks to complete the qual, and I was informed that I'd be finished in 72 hours.

That reminds me of my 7 day assignment to study the sortie patterns to southern Europe off of Sardinia. Got it done in 2 days and spent the rest of the week on the beach learning Italian!

 

[Nords]

That reminds me of my 7 day assignment to study the sortie patterns to southern Europe off of Sardinia. Got it done in 2 days and spent the rest of the week on the beach learning Italian!

Yeah, well, as soon as I finished the BCLU qual it just got me that much less behind on the next qual card...

If you weren't wearing gold dolphins then you didn't dare be caught reading anything besides a reactor plant manual or a naval tactical pub.

Most of the environment was the crew stressing you to make sure that they could count on you in an emergency. You wanted to do the nondestructive testing before the real casualty pushed 'em past the breaking point.

 

[Gumby]

If you weren't wearing gold dolphins then you didn't dare be caught reading anything besides a reactor plant manual or a naval tactical pub.

A philosophy that extended to movies too. Back in the day, we showed movies on a 16 mm projector. Typically they had three reels. As the most junior member of the wardroom, it was my job to show the movie to the other officers onboard, which required me to change the reels when necessary. However, since I was not yet qualified, I was not actually allowed to watch the movie (since it was assumed I would be studying for my qualifications). Yet I still needed to change the reels on time. Fortunately, the reels told how long each one was, so I would set my alarm to coincide with the end of a reel, run down to the wardroom and change the reel and hightail it back to my stateroom to continue my studies.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Meanwhile, I got an offer out West.

Oak Park??

 

[Retch The Grate]

Meanwhile, I got an offer out West. Its not quite up to what I want, but workable and the hiring manager hinted that there is wiggle room so I think we can work it out. It will involve a messy relocation, but I escape the mess here, get to do interesting work, and get my post career move paid for now. Plus I will be able to look up Dex.

Grats, that's a good outcome when the situation has turned that toxic.

 

[Nords]

A philosophy that extended to movies too.

Gosh, I miss those days. NOT.

 

[brewer12345]

And my immediate boss (with whom I am friendly) was just given 2 hours to pick one of 3 people coming to our wider group. We frantically put out feelers and ask around as discreetly as possible and found out that they are the B team at best. Now lets see if we get any of these people, nobody, or someone entirely different.

 

[chinaco]

... they are the B team at best. Now lets see if we get any of these people, nobody, or someone entirely different.

I can feel your pain!

If you were being generous with the B Team description... and it is actual the C Team. It is always easier to transfer the dead weight [-]problem[/-]. If you can't fire 'em... transfer 'em!

From the manager's point of view.... why would they give you the main "go to" employee? You can bet there is some horse trading going on!

I told ya man.... some people will turn it into an opportunity!

 

[brewer12345]

I can feel your pain!

If you were being generous with the B Team description... and it is actual the C Team. It is always easier to transfer the dead weight [-]problem[/-]. If you can't fire 'em... transfer 'em!

From the manager's point of view.... why would they give you the main "go to" employee? You can bet there is some horse trading going on!

I told ya man.... some people will turn it into an opportunity!

A piece of furniture added to a 10 person team is annoying, but not a big deal. A piece of furniture added to an understaffed 3 person team is a serious hardship. This case is the latter.

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

A piece of furniture added to a 10 person team is annoying, but not a big deal. A piece of furniture added to an understaffed 3 person team is a serious hardship. This case is the latter.

If you have to take a piece of useless furniture, then at least make sure that it matches the existing color scheme. There is nothing worse than a useless piece of furniture that also clashes. Been there and experienced that. At my previous job, the customer support guy admitted to having nothing to do past 9:30 AM everyday, so he spent the rest of the day getting on others' case about the most inane topic such as what brand of phone they chose to buy, and if you dismissed his time wasting, he got in-your-face angry for not being taken seriously. The QA analyst chronically complained of being blocked from advancement yet shrank back to her little shell while screaming at the people who gave her a shot when given the tiniest task that involved coordinating with people outside the team. She also complained of being worked to the bone yet showed up after 11 AM everyday, spent an hour complaining with her girlfriend, went off to a 1.5 hour lunch promptly at noon, and then was out of the office by 5 PM. Furniture indeed.