Cheapness Plus Incompetence Equals Disaster
Buona sera. I received some distressing news from Neil. (Yes, he's fine and the Bulletproof Bitch's influence is less pronounced in his life.) He works for a huge company that shall remain nameless for now. It's a "Fortune 500" company with international activities. They count their profits in the tens of millions of dollars each quarter of the year.
The distressing news? No raises this year. Neil's company sent out a memo announcing that not only would there be no raises ("economic uncertainties"), but employees should work harder and be happy. Stronzos! Who likes to work extra hard without appreciation? Everyone wonders how big the salaries are for the CEO and the Ivory Tower Management, and if those will be frozen as well. Not bloody likely.
Part of the problem is that this company has regulations to follow. So, they are in and out of court a great deal. If they are late or foul up somewhere, they have to pay fines. There seems to be a lawsuit of one kind or another happening constantly. The Attorney General is going after them again right now, too.
To me, their solutions are simple. First, hire enough people and trained them properly so they don't have so many grotzits going out the window. Second, stop being cheap by cutting corners. (This company wants the employees to build Rome with nothing more than two bricks and a turdball, and then wonders why it's in so much trouble.) With adequate staffing, adequate training and adequate provisions, they would be in far greater shape.
But add to this cheapness and incompetence the element of fear. After all, 2009 begins a new season in the White House with a nut case tax-n-spend Liberal. Democrats were so intent on punishing "the rich" for being "rich", that they did not care how it affected businesses. And businesses are expecting to pay higher taxes.
Yesterday, January 12, Rush Limbaugh said (my paraphrase) that things like this, including layoffs, are a pre-emptive strike. Although nothing has happened yet, B. Hussein Obama wil not be in power for a few days, companies are still hurting the people that they depend on for their financial success.
One of my contacts in the 00 Division has been laid off. Amazing! Nothing is sacred. I offered him my services and some words of wisdom that I hope will do him some good. But both of these situations are agonizing.
Sure, I guess we should all be happy that we have jobs at all. But for how long? Neil is polishing up his résumé and is ready to jump ship if an opportunity arises. He just has to be careful that he doesn't jump into something that will be sinking faster.
The distressing news? No raises this year. Neil's company sent out a memo announcing that not only would there be no raises ("economic uncertainties"), but employees should work harder and be happy. Stronzos! Who likes to work extra hard without appreciation? Everyone wonders how big the salaries are for the CEO and the Ivory Tower Management, and if those will be frozen as well. Not bloody likely.
Part of the problem is that this company has regulations to follow. So, they are in and out of court a great deal. If they are late or foul up somewhere, they have to pay fines. There seems to be a lawsuit of one kind or another happening constantly. The Attorney General is going after them again right now, too.
To me, their solutions are simple. First, hire enough people and trained them properly so they don't have so many grotzits going out the window. Second, stop being cheap by cutting corners. (This company wants the employees to build Rome with nothing more than two bricks and a turdball, and then wonders why it's in so much trouble.) With adequate staffing, adequate training and adequate provisions, they would be in far greater shape.
But add to this cheapness and incompetence the element of fear. After all, 2009 begins a new season in the White House with a nut case tax-n-spend Liberal. Democrats were so intent on punishing "the rich" for being "rich", that they did not care how it affected businesses. And businesses are expecting to pay higher taxes.
Yesterday, January 12, Rush Limbaugh said (my paraphrase) that things like this, including layoffs, are a pre-emptive strike. Although nothing has happened yet, B. Hussein Obama wil not be in power for a few days, companies are still hurting the people that they depend on for their financial success.
One of my contacts in the 00 Division has been laid off. Amazing! Nothing is sacred. I offered him my services and some words of wisdom that I hope will do him some good. But both of these situations are agonizing.
Sure, I guess we should all be happy that we have jobs at all. But for how long? Neil is polishing up his résumé and is ready to jump ship if an opportunity arises. He just has to be careful that he doesn't jump into something that will be sinking faster.
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