So although I've been very lucky to only receive a temporary reduction in pay during this crisis, others at my company haven't not been.
Part of that is two very special people in my work-life that have been made redundant (laid off) and today was their last day.
The problem with having to work from home is you don't get that last chance to say goodbye and although, with one of them, we have a friendship outside of work, with the other, I do not.
Trish leaves the firm after 45 years of service (we just celebrated this in late Feb) and although she DID plan on retiring at the end of the year, this pre-emptively moved that up. What can I say about Trish? She's the one that hired me 28+ years ago. So if you're reading this and you work with me, well, she's the one to blame for the headaches I might cause you from day to day. In spite of her being a bit of a dress-code Nazi in the first year (you know, back in the early 90s when you had to wear a tie every day and we didn't have 'casual Friday' where you could rock the jeans), she's become one of my dearest friends and essentially family.
Wendy was more of my first day-to-day mentor as I moved off of the phone center floor and into a Supervisor position. She leaves after 29 years of service. She taught me all the nuts and bolts of running the floor and making sure everyone was doing their job properly. We weren't selling anything, we do market research surveys so you have to make sure that the interviewers aren't biasing or leading the consumers in their responses otherwise, the data ends up being suspect. Wendy along with Trish, Sharon and Erin were female forces to reckon with. I was so lucky to learn everything from them and there are skills I learned that I still put to use today.
Sharon left the company back in the mid 00's as did Erin but we lost Erin to domestic violence a few years ago. Rot in Hell, Lee!!
But today, I remember all the fun times we had late into the evenings, doing our tally sheets and organizing the sample baskets. Of how, as telephone research started phasing out, we all found other opportunities within the company and always took the time to stop and chat if we were passing in the hallways.
From a relative small company to a global footprint of 54+ countries, it's always been about the people. Former CEO, Eric Salama always said it and he always truly meant it. It does make me wonder how that continues to erode slowly over time and although there will often be signposts reminding me that we're a business and you need to make money and be profitable, I worry that in tough times like these, if the "about the people" is more lip service than reality. I get it, I really do. If we don't perform, we perish. As I said at the top, I do feel lucky to only have a pay reduction when the alternative is much, much more painful. But the brass ring is starting to become visible and I know if I keep up the hard work, I'll get there on my timeline and not anyone elses.
Gonna miss you Trish and Wendy and probably others who, didn't send out notices or reach out because they are upset, mad, hurt by these decisions. I'm here for you to chat with if you need it, no restrictions.
And so, here is some Tibetan throat singing group with Metal Queen Lzzy Hale with Song for Women.
