Article 43
Sunday, September 05, 2004
Welcome
Welcome to article43.com - a memorial to the layed off workers of (PRE SBC MERGER) AT&T, and the disappearing MIDDLE CLASS citizens of America. It is NOT endorsed or affiliated with AT&T or the CWA in any way.
This sticky post was written the day we appeared on the internet in 2004, and updated in 2023.
Besides INFORMATION, resources and opinion for former AT&T workers DEALING WITH the EFFECTS OF LAYOFF and looking for meaningful employment, a lot of articles here are meant to bring into awareness the LARGER PICTURE of corporate dominance of the UNITED STATES’ political and economic policies which brazenly DISREGARDS, disrespects and EXPLOITS worker, citizen and HUMAN RIGHTS under masks like FREE TRADE and the PATRIOT ACT - resulting in a return to a society of very rich and very poor dominated by a few very rich and powerful - whose voices are anything but - for the people. If left UNCHALLENGED, the self-serving interests of those in control may result in the end of DEMOCRACY, the end of the middle class, irreversible ENVIRONMENTAL damage to the planet, and widespread global poverty brought on by exploitation and supression of the voices of common people EVERYWHERE, while the United States turns into a REINCARNATION of the ROMAN EMPIRE. Author Thom Hartmann shares some history and outlines some basic steps to return our country to “The People” in his two articles TEN STEPS TO RETURN TO DEMOCRACY and SAVING THE MIDDLE CLASS. I support CERNIG’S idea for a new POLITICAL MOVEMENT - if not a revolution to cleanse our country of the filth ruling it - as we EVOLVE into a GLOBAL community - assuming we learn the THE LESSONS OF OUR TIME and don’t DESTROY CIVILIZATION first.
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Information on the Pension Class Action Lawsuit against AT&T is HERE. More pension-related articles are HERE.
Click HERE to learn a little about Article 43 and why I loathe the CWA.
Click HERE or HERE to learn what the CWA did when given a chance to do the right thing.
Click HERE for a glimpse of undemocratic and hypocritical CWA practices.
Click HERE for an article on Corporate Unionism.
Click HERE for an article of AFL-CIO’s undemocratic history.
If you’re looking for telco nostalgia, you won’t find it here, except for a little FLASH VIDEO I found on the internet wrapped as an executable so you can just run it. Check out the TELECOM ARCHIVE, BELL SYSTEM MEMORIAL, and TELEPHONE TRIBUTE websites instead.
This site can disappear anytime if I run out of money to pay for luxuries like food, health care, or internet service.
Discernment of truth is left to the reader - whose encouraged to seek as much information as possible, from as many different sources as possible - and pass them through his/her own filters - before believing anything.
...the Devil is just one man with a plan, but evil, true evil, is a collaboration of men…
- Fox Mulder, X Files
No matter how big the lie; repeat it often enough and the masses will regard it as the truth.
- John F. Kennedy
Today my country, your country and the Earth face a corporate holocaust against human and Earthly rights. I call their efforts a holocaust because when giant corporations wield human rights backed by constitutions and the law (and therefore enforced by police, the courts, and armed forces) and sanctioned by cultural norms, the rights of people, other species and the Earth are annihilated.
- Richard L. Grossman
Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.
- Albert Einstein
He who is not angry when there is just cause for anger is immoral. Why? Because anger looks to the good of justice. And if you can live amid injustice without anger, you are immoral as well as unjust.
- Aquinas
If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.
- Bishop Desmond Tutu
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
- Martin Luther King Jr
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
- Benjamin Franklin
If we do not hang together, we will surely hang separately.
- Benjamin Franklin
We must be prepared to make heroic sacrifices for the cause of peace that we make ungrudgingly for the cause of war.
- Albert Einstein
Solidarity has always been key to political and economic advance by working families, and it is key to mastering the politics of globalization.
- Thomas Palley
As we head into the next depression (which happens every 10 years or so), fueled by selfish corporate greed, and a corrupt, SOCIOPATHIC, business-loving, US government, MIKE WHITNEY wrote a solution in 2007 that makes a lot of sense to me:
The impending credit crisis can’t be avoided, but it could be mitigated by taking radical steps to soften the blow. Emergency changes to the federal tax code could put more money in the hands of maxed-out consumers and keep the economy sputtering along while efforts are made to curtail the ruinous trade deficit. We should eliminate the Social Security tax for any couple making under $60, 000 per year and restore the 1953 tax-brackets for Americans highest earners so that the upper 1%-- who have benefited the most from the years of prosperity---will be required to pay 93% of all earnings above the first $1 million income. At the same time, corporate profits should be taxed at a flat 35%, while capital gains should be locked in at 35%. No loopholes. No exceptions.
Congress should initiate a program of incentives for reopening American factories and provide generous sufbsidies to rebuild US manufacturing. The emphasis should be on reestablishing a competitive market for US exports while developing the new technologies which will address the imminent problems of environmental degradation, global warming, peak oil, overpopulation, resource scarcity, disease and food production. Off-shoring of American jobs should be penalized by tariffs levied against the offending industries.
The oil and natural gas industries should be nationalized with the profits earmarked for vocational training, free college tuition, universal health care and improvements to then nations infrastructure.
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Life after AT&T
If you’re looking for Job hunt links, go HERE instead.
Got a story to share regarding your life after AT&T?
Post a comment below....
Saturday, September 11, 2004
Job Hunt
Career Pages
Telecom Companies
Alltel
BellSouth
Lucent
Verizon
AT&T-SBC
Sprint
US LEC
Nextel
Cingular
Avaya
Job Boards
Careerbuilder
Monster.com
Top Entry Level Employers
Thingamajob.com
Jumbo Classifieds
Recruiters
Adea Solutions
Atos Origin
Robert Half Technology
TEK Systems
The Reserves Network
Government Contractors
GSA Top 50 Contractors (pdf)
Harris Corporation
SAIC
Other Vendors to Watch
Tumbleweed Communications
Troux Technologies
Misc
Winning at Networking
Job Seeker News
Friday, September 10, 2004
Effects of Corporate Downsizing
As they pass their 40’s, being re-employed becomes harder. Van Buren’s (1996, p. 50) research shows that being fired is likely to mean the loss not only of upward career movement, but also of economic stability and self-respect. They feel like they are being sacrificed, not because their corporations were in serious economic trouble, but rather because the profits being made were not high enough.
<snip>
Trust is one of the most valuable yet brittle assets in any enterprise. Over the long term, it’s far better for companies to downsize in a humane way.
“Corporations should remember that they are artificial creatures chartered by society. As such, they are subject to society’s values-and society’s approval can be withdrawn at any time” (Van Buren III, 1996, p. 50). All the more reason to do it humanely.
<snip>
A key factor for employees who lose their jobs is often an organization’s severance package. Being displaced from a company is a devastating experience. Studies have shown that a generous severance package sends out a message to the employee kept on, that the company does care and provides for displaced workers. As Misha, et, al (1998) sees it, survivors will judge a company’s future interactions with them on how fairly it treats those laid off.
Developing a humane and dignified outcome for these displaced workers should be one of a company’s primary goals for each displaced individual within the organization. A way to increase the morale of each displaced worker within the organization is to have them gain control of their lives.
Nothing saps a person more than a feeling of “lost control” in obtaining a job. “Workers’ control stabilizes employment, and, hence reduced the impact of an exogenous shock which reduces employment” (Doucouliagos, 1997, p. 175). Turnley and Feldman (1998, p. 82) look at how a company’s unfair actions cause low morale and a decrease in productivity. “In the case of organizations undergoing downsizing and reorganization, respondents’ comments highlight the negative reactions to perceived unfair layoff procedures”.
Using an organization’s position to retrain, having an out placement service, and having financial counseling for the displaced employees should be a primary concern for an organization in the middle of downsizing.
Leana, Feldman and Tan (1997) hold a contrary view of severance packages to displaced workers. In their research of laid off workers, they found that corporate assistance programs may have some unintended consequences for coping behaviors. A severance package given to individuals in a downsizing is meant to lessen the blow of being without a job. With this severance package, displaced workers should have time to look for a new position. These authors note, however, that substantial severance pay reduces the respondents’ sense of urgency to look for a job. On the other hand, other studies cites have shown that even after a displaced employee finds a new position, the pay is substantially less than what they were making in their prior position. Quite often these individuals who do find a new position are quite often under immense economic and social pressure to accept any job even if the wages are substantially lower than what they were making.
Employers know that these individuals are in dire need and will often offer less to them because of their situation. “The unemployed could be particularly vulnerable to distinct hiring discriminatory practices, as the reward for their human capital will depend on the subjective and discretionary evaluation made by the prospective employer who is typically, in a superior bargaining position” (Mavromaras & Rudolph, 1997, p. 814).
SOURCE
Full report:
CORPORATE DOWNSIZING AND ITS EFFECT ON THE ORGANIZATION
Derrek G. Choy
Introduction
The long term effect of corporate downsizing has affected the way organizations are managed. This research looks at the economic problems facing the downsized organization and the psychological impact affecting the retained employees and the terminated workers. Robert Half International Incorporated developed a survey showing that 51% of executives expressed concern of losing their jobs because of downsizing in comparison to burnout (24%) and being fired (incompetence on the job) (10%). (USA Today, 1998).
Downsizing equates with mergers. A recent merger proposal has been with Chrysler Motor Company and Daimler Benz. There are assurances by both Chrysler and Daimler Benz that “no jobs would be lost due to the merger”. History has shown that this is not true. “Government budget cuts alone have resulted in more than 1.1 million lost jobs in the defense industry since 1987, with another 700,000 cuts expected through 1998” (Misha, Spreitzer, Misha, 1998., p. 83). More than 3 million jobs have been eliminated each year since 1989, for a loss of 43 million jobs since 1979 (Misha, et, al, p. 82). The competitive global marketplace there seems to dictate that downsizing is here to stay. Their very survival depends on this mode of thinking. As a result, organizations have to run their businesses with efficiency and cost effectiveness. “NTT, Japans telecommunications giant, announced plans to shed 45,000 jobs, and Nissan plans to lay-off 7,000 employees” (Lee, 1997, p. 879).
Palmer, Kabanoff and Dunford (1997, p. 624) “… show evidence that organizations are changing the reasons why they use downsizing. In the United States the results of a recent survey point to a decrease in reported importance of ґgeneral economic conditions as a rationale for why downsizing has occurred, while reasons such as better staff utilization, outsourcing, plant closure, mergers, automation and the use of new technology have become important.”
Individuals are affected also. As they pass their 40’s, being re-employed becomes harder. Van Buren’s ( 1996, p. 50) research shows that being fired is likely to mean the loss not only of upward career movement, but also of economic stability and self-respect. They feel like they are being sacrificed, not because their corporations were in serious economic trouble, but rather because the profits being made were not high enough.
In addition, low morale among the employees left after the downsizing effort within the organization has to be addressed. Companies that help their workers get new jobs, and provide out placement services, end up much better positioned than companies which simply wield the ax. This is because they have a better chance of retaining the loyalty of the surviving workers. Trust is one of the most valuable yet brittle assets in any enterprise. Over the long term, itҒs far better for companies to downsize in a humane way.
“Corporations should remember that they are artificial creatures chartered by society. As such, they are subject to societys values-and societyҒs approval can be withdrawn at any time” (Van Buren III, 1996, p. 50). All the more reason to do it humanely.
This research paper will look at five aspects of downsizing:
1. The organizations determination to downsize.
2. The morale problems affecting the organization after the downsizing decision.
3. The organizationҒs commitment to help the displaced workers through counseling and job placement.
4. The development of programs for downsizing success.
5. The long term effects of the organizations downsizing efforts.
1. The organizationҒs determination to downsize.
Companies downsize to cut cost, improve efficiency and to maintain a profit level acceptable to their shareholders. Downsizing in the United States and foreign countries is, unfortunately, here to stay. Downsizing refers to a “deliberate decision to reduce the work force that is intended to improve organizational performance” (Kozlowski, Chao, Smith & Hedlund, 1993. p. 267). Lee (1997) looks at layoffs as part of a larger plan, where organizations analyze their core business and develop their business to its fullest extent. In other words, the organization often goes “back to the basics.” When downsizing does occur within an organization, Lee (1997) looks at whether downsizing is proactive, which is a restructuring strategy of an organization to obtain efficiency and market share, or reactive, where the downsizing occurs because of deep financial trouble within the organization. As Mabert and Schmenner (1997) see it, downsizing occurs because of (1) an intentional decision (2) a reduction in personnel, often disproportionately in the management ranks, (3) efficiency and/or effectiveness objectives, and (4) changes in work processes. Again, the whole theme of downsizing equates to lowering operating expenses by employee elimination to show a greater profit for the company.
The organizations prerequisite to downsizing is attributed to cost efficiency, greater control and to develop a company that is able to react to a changing market within a short period of time. Palmer, Kabanoff and DunfordҒs (1997) research shows that there is a general tendency for managers in such situations, like other people, to attribute failures to causes beyond their control.
2. The morale problems affecting the organization after the downsizing decision.
Organizations have seen the negative affects of downsizing. Morale suffers which equates to lower productivity and profits for the organization. Mabert et, al,(1997) discusses how managers complained of the morale-sapping character of most downsizing and described how low morale created anxiety and paralysis within their companies to the subsequent detriment of productivity. When an individual loses his/her job, confusion and anxiety sets in. “Many of them are thrown into unexpected transitions with extended middle periods characterized by confusion and a lack of ability to move forward” (Borgen, 1997, p. 142). Mishra, et, al, (1998) found that a 10 percent reduction in personnel resulted in only a 1.5 percent reduction in costs. Their research also found that the employee trust and empowerment were shattered after the downsizing. This caused the employees left after the downsizing to show less initiative in getting the work done. Their feeling was that they would be the ones terminated next, so their attitude is one of “Why try to do the job since I am going to be the next one laid off”.
Lee (1997) sees full employment as a key to solving the social ills of the industrialized countries and believes that it can still be attained with the right package of international and national policies. Unemployment, as a result of downsizing, does not have to have a devastating effect within an organization if proper procedures are followed. “The real question is how downsizing is done rather than whether to downsize” (Mishra, et, al, 1998, p. 84). When an organization fails to realize their actions when they have downsized, the organization creates. “...an alienated workforce devoid of commitment and unwilling to extend more than the minimum amounts of effort” (Hunt, 1986, Sanderson & Schein, 1986).
3. The organizations commitment to help the displaced workers through counseling and job placement.
Humane treatment of displaced employees sends a message to the “survivors” of the downsizing that care and compassion has been given to these workers. Having outside consultants help in the displaced workers transition also should be considered. Employees who are displaced will have a much easier time talking to individuals outside of the organization. Misha, et, al (1997) states that using outside experts in the transition may also increase survivorsҒ trust since they know management does not have all the answers in a time of high stress and turmoil.
A key factor for employees who lose their jobs is often an organizations severance package. Being displaced from a company is a devastating experience. Studies have shown that a generous severance package sends out a message to the employee kept on, that the company does care and provides for displaced workers. As Misha, et, al (1998) sees it, survivors will judge a companyҒs future interactions with them on how fairly it treats those laid off.
Developing a humane and dignified outcome for these displaced workers should be one of a companys primary goals for each displaced individual within the organization. A way to increase the morale of each displaced worker within the organization is to have them gain control of their lives. Nothing saps a person more than a feeling of “lost control” in obtaining a job. “WorkersҒ control stabilizes employment, and, hence reduced the impact of an exogenous shock which reduces employment” (Doucouliagos, 1997, p. 175). Turnley and Feldman (1998, p. 82) look at how a companys unfair actions cause low morale and a decrease in productivity. “In the case of organizations undergoing downsizing and reorganization, respondentsҒ comments highlight the negative reactions to perceived unfair layoff procedures”.
Using an organizations position to retrain, having an out placement service, and having financial counseling for the displaced employees should be a primary concern for an organization in the middle of downsizing.
Leana, Feldman and Tan (1997) hold a contrary view of severance packages to displaced workers. In their research of laid off workers, they found that corporate assistance programs may have some unintended consequences for coping behaviors. A severance package given to individuals in a downsizing is meant to lessen the blow of being without a job. With this severance package, displaced workers should have time to look for a new position. These authors note, however, that substantial severance pay reduces the respondentsҒ sense of urgency to look for a job. On the other hand, other studies cites have shown that even after a displaced employee finds a new position, the pay is substantially less than what they were making in their prior position. Quite often these individuals who do find a new position are quite often under immense economic and social pressure to accept any job even if the wages are substantially lower than what they were making. Employers know that these individuals are in dire need and will often offer less to them because of their situation. “The unemployed could be particularly vulnerable to distinct hiring discriminatory practices, as the reward for their human capital will depend on the subjective and discretionary evaluation made by the prospective employer who is typically, in a superior bargaining position” (Mavromaras & Rudolph, 1997, p. 814).
In helping employees cope with the uncertainty of losing their job, open communication is vital for the organization and the employees’ well being. “Employees who have full knowledge of the companys finances and its industry feel personally in control amid the uncertainty. Downsizing becomes less of a crisis and more an expected path. In addition, sharing sensitive financial or competitive data ensures employees that they can trust management to be open and honest” (Misha, et, al, 1998, p. 88).
4. The development of programs for downsizing success.
When an organization decides to downsize, a detailed and well-planned program has to be implemented to make it successful. Unfortunately, far too many companies downsize without looking at the negative repercussions of their effort. “Some companies increase profitability and/or productivity, but for many downsizing has been disappointing” (Mabert, et, al, 1997, p. 46). These authors identify six reasons why downsizing does not work in many firms.
1. Organizations fail to set up retraining polices and do not foresee the human resource problems that develop when downsizing takes effect.
2. As an organization downsizes, they quite often overuse consultants and third party providers. Instead of an organization retraining their retained staff in doing the work, they rely too much on the consultants and third party providers to do the work.
3. As the organization is downsized, the added burden of work is thrown to line or staff personnel with limited time to do the job and limited expertise in that field.
4. As companies become flatter, the past communications that worked well are gone. No communication link between the different levels within the organization takes place.
5. As mentioned earlier, quite often productivity and quality suffer because there is no plan on how the work is to be done with a reduced staff.
6. Downsizing has eliminated job security. When this happens, employees show no loyalty to the company and will move from firms to firms that pays them more. The mentality then, is like a “gun for hire”.
Turnley and Feldman (1998) also focus on the decreased job security caused by widespread organizational restructuring and the lower levels of commitment that employees have toward their firms as a result.
For a company to have a successful program in their downsizing efforts, various points will have to be addressed. Mabert and Schmenner (1997) discuss the issues of developing a well-detailed plan to train each retained worker to do the work. By doing this, rehire “creep” will not take place. In other words, hiring consultants or rehiring new employees to do the work once done by the laid off employees will not be mandatory. Another part of making the downsizing program a success is to keep the severance related cost to a low level. To do this, the organization should use non-voluntary programs that identify who will be affected rather than using a voluntary program (Lean, Feldman & Tan, 1997). When voluntary programs are implemented, they are often overused by people who have high severance packages. Another problem associated with voluntary layoff programs is that when key employees who are needed often leave, their departure causes a void within the organization. A replacement is often hired which causes an added burden of training the new hire (Mabert, et, al, 1997).
Of course, keeping open communications with each employee is also very important for success in the downsizing efforts. The success of the downsizing effort also involves showing compassion for the employees eliminated. Finally, a good severance package, retraining and counseling of each employee is also of vital importance in maintaining a positive image to the employees retained and also to the customers and public served (Misha, et, al, 1998).
Quite often downsizing also takes longer than anticipated (Mishra, et, al, 1998). By imposing a deadline for downsizing, management is able to lower the anxiety levels of the retained employees. Clearly, some feeling of continuity develops when an individual knows they are going to be around the next day.
Hidden costs, such as the increase of the costs of quality caused by rework, scrap, and also overtime payments to the employees retained due to an increased work load can be lowered by scheduling effectively and handling the employee related matters with openness. A final point in making the downsizing efforts effective is to be able to track your cost efficiently (Mabert, et, al, 1997). Without controls set up within the organization to track the payroll, overtime and cost overruns because of the downsizing efforts, the effort would be futile.
4. The long-term affects of the organizationҒs downsizing efforts.
Whether downsizing is successfully implemented within an organization over a long period of time depends on how the implementation takes place. “Management should never see downsizing as a short-term fix. Instead, it must integrate the decision to downsize into a well-crafted, credible vision that makes clear how downsizing will create a competitive advantage” (Mishra, et, al, 1998, p. 86). This will set the tone of the downsizing efforts as well-coordinated and planned. If downsizing takes place without a detailed plan, its success for the long term is questionable. What develops is a distrust of management and the group that remains within the organization will question the validity of the downsizing efforts. By getting a formal group together to implement the companys downsizing efforts, a smoother transition takes place. In addition, these authors state that the team has to plan and implement the downsizing to represent all membersҒ interest. It is important that employees see that management is looking carefully at everyones needs and concerns. Rousseau, (1995) noted how Xerox lost major market share in the 1980’s. The problems within the organization were, however, minimized when the executives effectively communicated the dire situation Xerox was going through. What these executives received from the employees was greater understanding and a willingness to follow management’s lead in saving the company. Without loyalty from each employee, the implementation and success of the downsizing effort becomes questionable. Turnley and Feldman (1998, p.74) interviewed individuals involved to determine their feelings of loyalty and what they expected of their employer in such situations. Some of the comments show the need for an organization to be open and honest in what will happen:
Shortly after the reorganization, we started to lose employees because someone decided we didnҒt need as many people. No one seems to know how they figured out how many employees we needed, and we simply do not have enough people to do the job that is demanded of us. This is not a good place to work anymore. When the right job comes along, and it will, Ill leave my current position.
I have experienced a series of four mergers and acquisitions during the last twelve years which has resulted in declining levels of my personal responsibility and authority. Changes in corporate culture disrupt career paths, generate concern about job security, and often result in a reduced inner sense of loyalty to the company.
It is apparent then that “Getting smaller is not enough. Downsizing, the equivalent of corporate anorexia can make a company thinner; it doesnҒt necessarily make it healthier” (Haml & Prahalad, 1994, p. 11).
Further research should look at the relationship of downsizing to productivity and organizational effectiveness. Just because the organization is leaner, does not necessarily mean it is more efficient and cost effective. Research also shows that over the long term, the financial health of many organizations diminishes with the downsizing efforts. “Some companies increased profitability and productivity, but for many downsizing has been disappointing” (Mabert, et, al, 1997, p. 46).
“The touchstone of the early 1990’s was corporate downsizing-layoffs, restructuring, recapitalizing, bankruptcy, and emerging from bankruptcy” (Wall Street Journal, 16 March 1994). As the year 2000 approaches a new millennia is emerging in corporate America. Downsizing should not be the panacea for all of an organizations ills, and perhaps this new trend is reflected in many organizationsҒ concerns about their being a limited labor supply at present. “More than half the downsizing firms cut too much of their workforce and have to rehire laid-off employees as consultants” (Mishra, et, al, p. 84).
Conclusion
All of the research on corporate downsizing shows a need for management to be proactive rather than reactive in implementation of an organizational downsizing program. A timeline has to be implemented and a sequence of events must occur before the downsizing occurs. Mishra, et, al, (1998) sees a successful downsizing process requires planning that begins long before the formal announcement. One important aspect of a companys downsizing efforts should be to exhaust all other avenues of cost savings and to use downsizing only as a last resort. One of the reasons for this is that there is distrust from the employees when they see a group of their co-workers being laid off. In addition, management needs to show compassion toward the needs of each individual within the organization. Implementing hiring freezes, salary freezes, overtime restrictions, pay cuts, elimination of bonuses, shortened workweeks, or unpaid vacation will show the employees that management is doing everything they can to save their jobs and to keep the company healthy.
Open communication with the staff is also critical. Mishra, et, al (1998) states that employees who have full knowledge of the companyҒs finances and its industry feel personally in control amid the uncertainty, resulting in less anxiety and distraction. Ideas that help keep the downsizing efforts on track include:
1. Developing a detailed plan to train each retained employee within the organization. This will give the organization a well-trained staff to keep the organization moving. If this is not done, consultants and others could be hired which would keep the fixed expenses high.
2. Do not have voluntary programs for employees leaving with large benefit package. Quite often this creates a situation where the essential employees leave, robbing the organization of its own key people.
3. A program for tracking an organization’s costs in the downsizing effort should be implemented. “Companies need to install cost controls that are appropriate to the evaluation of a downsizing program, one cannot adequately evaluate the benefits from a downsizing program when its costs cannot even be measured correctly” (Mabert et, al, 1997, p.52).
An employee needs assessment has to be developed. The needs assessment should look at :
(a) The employees presently on the job and the employees affected by the downsizing efforts. Mishra, et, al, (1997) advocate looking at the separated, survivors, corporate staff , and other facilities receiving a transfer of people, machinery, or business. This will help identify all aspects of what has to be done in getting the implementation on track.
(b) Placement and counseling from outside experts for all employees downsized.
(c) Managers should also be trained in handling retained employees and also the employees let go. “It should give the managers who execute the layoffs skills and practice in telling employees that will lose their jobs” (Mishra, et, al, 1997, p. 8).
(d) Check yourself often on how honest you are about what is happening within the organization. It is important to let all employees know what is happening. Kinicki (1985) advises that workers who are informed about what is happening within the organization will be able to devise coping mechanisms that reduce their stress levels.
Finally, the book, Executive Blues: Down and Out in Corporate America, by G.J. Meyer (1995, p. 25) sums up the feelings of an individual losing his job to downsizing, something none of us should forget:
I think I can tell you how it will happen, if its going to happen to you. The first thing theyҒll do, when theyve made their preparations, is to get you out of your office and into some other room with some geek from Human Resources...from the moment you pass through his door the HR geek will appear to be in visible pain and eager for you to see it. He wants you to understand that he too is a human being, a nice guy if also a geek, and that his mother didnҒt raise him for this kind of thing. Anyhow, when the geek has delivered his message and demonstrated the depths of his humanity, hell get up out of his chair and come around from behind his desk. YouҒll be drawn up after him by some mysterious force resembling magnetism-you dont know how itҒs happening, but all of a sudden youre on your feet and moving-and together the two of you will glide out the door and down the hall to some smaller office that you probably never noticed before, where somebody youҒve never seen (the outplacement counselor) is waiting to tell you not to worry, everything is going to be fine.
References
Borgen, W. A. (1997). People Caught In Changing Career Opportunities: A Counseling Process. Journal of Employment Counseling. 34, 133-143.
Doucouliagos, C. (1997). Unemployment and Workers Control. Review of Political Economy, 9(2), 151-179.
Downsizing (1994). Wall Street Journal, p. 16.
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Coping With Unemployment
On a daily basis you check your email to see if your sixteen different job search agents have returned that dream job. You send your resume to at least five positions a day. Heck, you even look in the Sunday newspaper! The media tells us that the economic recovery has begun. Companies are hiring. People are optimistic. Yet you are still unemployed.
If you’re out of work, particularly if you’ve been looking for a job for quite some time, it’s easy to get discouraged. After all we define ourselves so much by what we do. How many minutes after you meet someone for the first time, do you ask him or her, “so what do you do for a living?”
Even those that support you, family and friends, can unintentionally create problems. How many times as a job seeker have you heard, “so, have you found anything yet?” If you’ve been unemployed a while, it’s easy to take that the wrong way. can help you cope with being unemployed and set the stage for job search success.
1. Budget - Now that may sound fairly obvious, but you need to understand what your expenses are and how you can control them. Do you really need two ISP’s? Can you really watch all those channels on premium cable? Or how about that daily double decaf soy Latte down at Starbucks? You need to prioritize where you are spending your money.
There are certain expenses you may not be able to control such as rent or a house note. But for expenses like credit card debt, examine your statement to see if you ever automatically signed up for a payment protection plan. Chances are your credit card company may have enrolled you, if your balance has been over a certain amount. Take advantage of that, many of those plans will allow you to suspend payments temporarily.
The key to a budget is to put it on paper. Whether you create an Excel spreadsheet or scribble it on a note pad, having something that you can look at and change is a great help in developing a budget that will last.
2 .Routine - What does being employed really do for us? Besides a paycheck, it gives us a schedule. Being unemployed should not be different. You should stick to the same pattern you had when you were working. Resist the nightly temptation to watch Leno and get plenty of sleep instead.
During the week, actually set your alarm clock. Pick a time to get up and get ready as if you were going to work. Does that mean you need to put on business professional clothes? Not necessarily, but hey, if it helps keep you focused then why not.
Being ready for work every day means that you can respond to an interview request quickly. Also, by keeping a schedule, you will have an easier time of transitioning back to the work world. And you won’t scare your new co-workers by looking like a sleep-deprived zombie your first week on the job.
3. Exercise - If you’ve been unemployed for any length of time, you’ve probably become use to wearing your sweats or some other sort of casual clothes. Funny, when you go to that interview, your suit feels a little tight. Although you wish you could blame your dry cleaner for shrinking your best interview suit, you know you can’t.
You don’t have to join a gym. You can exercise by taking a walk in a nearby park or dusting off that old Richard Simmons tape. In addition to exercise, watching what you eat can help as well.
Regular exercise and consistently eating right can help make sure that interview suit fits a little better. But it’s the added bonus of staying healthy during a stressful period in your life that is most important.
4. Keep informed - Watching the latest Jerry Springer or keeping up with All My Children is not something that will keep you up to date on current events. Staying current on what’s happening in the real world is what keeps you connected.
Whether you read the paper, surf the Internet, or frequent your local library, challenge yourself to learn about what is going on in the bigger picture. At the very least make sure you keep current on business trends. Being unemployed means that you need to be keenly aware of what factors are affecting the marketplace, especially in your industry.
Doing research can give you ideas on what industries are growing and what companies are hiring. And you will also be able to engage in the “small talk” that often precedes an interview. Whether it’s the recent landing on Mars or discussing the 11 Oscar Nominations that Return of the King received, chitchat like that can help ease the tension when you’re meeting a recruiter or hiring manager.
5. Volunteer - When you’re working, you always say to yourself, “I think this organization or cause is worthwhile and I should really help out.” Perhaps while you were working you helped with your money, now you can help with your time.
Becoming a volunteer should be a commitment that will last beyond your unemployment. So examine it seriously, before you decide to do it. Most organizations that rely on volunteer help will welcome anyone, no matter how much time he or she donates. But again, explore carefully how you can contribute during your unemployment and then what you can do after you start to work again.
Besides being a wonderful networking opportunity, it is great to have that sense of accomplishment. Try this site to help find that right volunteer opportunity: volunteermatch.org
6. Support Groups - No matter how well meaning your wife, husband, parents, in-laws, or friends are, if they aren’t unemployed, they will find it hard to understand what it’s like to be out of work. That’s not to suggest that their support is not needed or welcomed, but sometimes you need to seek out others who are also unemployed.
This idea may seem overly dramatic and some folks may not need it and that’s okay. For those that do just remember to start simple. If there were other people that were laid off from your company, call them first. Check in on them. Find out how they’re doing. If you think it would be worthwhile to get together, then do it.
Some people you encounter will be negative, frustrated by their lack of success in finding work, they will likely try and infect you with their bad attitude.
The long-term value outweighs the risk since this can be another networking opportunity. After all a job that might not be a fit for them, may be for you and vice-a-versa. And it is reassuring to know that there’s another person or group of people going through what you’re going through.
7. Entertainment - Yes that’s right, entertainment! You need to find a way to have fun. Whether it͢s reading a book, playing a game, or watching TV, you need to work at making sure that some form of entertainment is part of your week.
You need to figure out a way to include entertainment in your budget. Even if it means clipping coupons, going to Happy Hour and eating bar appetizers at half-price, or waiting till that first-run movie hits the cheap theaters, you need give yourself permission to relax and enjoy life.
Looking for work is a full-time job. Like any job, you need to have a break. So don’t short change yourself and feel guilty about goofing off every once in a while.
Whether it’s managing your budget or planning something fun, the goal is to keep you focused. Without that focus it is easy to get discouraged. The first thing that you lose when that happens is your attitude.
The bottom line in keeping a positive attitude while you’re unemployed is to remember the bigger picture. People get interviews because their skills match the job requirements. People get jobs because they have great attitudes.
The author, Wayne Rainey, is human resources professional with 9 plus years of diverse experience in both corporate recruiting and the temporary staffing industry. Wayne can be reached via email at and welcomes any questions from fellow job seekers who may want a recruiter’s perspective.
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Changing Your View Changes Everything!
job-hunt.org
Its like that when you lose your job, too. When I was fired from my first professional job, I thought my future had collapsed. That woe-is-me perspective blocked my ability to see that what happened had opened, not closed, opportunities. In time, my view broadened, and my understanding emerged.
Not only did I come to realize I disliked the job and wasnҒt good at it, but I was also ill-suited for it. I thought I could do anything, but I couldnt. I chose wrong. Once my self-awareness (and self-esteem) came to terms with why it happened, my view shifted, and so did my future.
Changing Your View
You can wait for perspective, or you can develop it. Like an architect taught to design by looking at something within a narrow context first, and then viewing it from wider and wider angles, we can learn to see our own life situations from different and wider vantage points; we can grow ғnew eyes, as it were.
Changing your view may take time, but you can start by nudging yourself toward new perspectives using these approaches:
1: The once-a-week, step back approach
Force yourself to step back from a narrow job-loss vista, in order to gain perspective at least once a week. Volunteer at a hospital, work with a charity, organize a community event, read to disadvantaged children, or help that elderly neighbor. Be of service.
ItԒs easy to lose perspective of whats going right in life. Keep your view clear. Or in the words of Mahatma Gandhi, ғThe best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.
2: The see-the-world anew approach
Never taken a yoga class, read a mystery, or planted a garden? Always gravitate to the same websites, read the same magazines, or frequent the same establishments? Venture out. Drive back roads to the grocery store, take a class you never imagined, or learn to paint. You canԒt change your view to reboot career prosperity, make new connections, or notice hidden opportunities unless you replenish your soul and grow new learning pathways along the way.
3: The reframe-the-picture approach
Woe is me or an opportunity to retool? Personal tragedy or personal growth? Permanent scar or catalyst for a dream-pursuit? How you see your life is how you live it. What frame have you put around your job loss? Is it helping or hurting your personal view of your future?
Lee Iacocca said, “In times of great stress or adversity, it’s always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and your energy into something positive.” Thats true, but as you do, keep reframing the picture.
Go Beyond the Frog
The frog in the well, described by Mao Tse-Tung, captures the thought, ғWe think too small. Like the frog at the bottom of the well. He thinks the sky is only as big as the top of the well. If he surfaced, he would have an entirely different view.
When we suffer job-loss, we see the world from the vantage point of something taken away, something lost, something stolen from us. Yet, when we nudge ourselves to broaden our perspective and remerge from that well-of-loss to a larger world of opportunity, thereԒs a profound shift in our energy and our outlook. Thats because changing your view, changes everything. Try it!
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