Pins and Needles

About two years ago, my employer was taken over by another company. They had another term for it and, technically and legally, it is not a “take over”, but it kinda feels and looks like one from an employee perspective. There are changes in leadership, changes in pay practices, changes in job titles, changes in organisational structure, etc. So, from an employee’s perspective, it kinda looks like a take over. It has all the elements of one.

Initially, there were changes in senior leadership. There were announcements that there would be staff reductions as they started to absorb us into their rank and file. We watched the first round of people leave. My original organisation was not one that had layoffs, so it sent ripples of shock and dismay through our ranks as we watched the first people leave.

But that was the only first round, there were more to come. They were not aiming to finish our restructuring by the end of 2022. And so we watched the next few rounds. The remaining employees were shuffled around and slotted into the new boxes on the new org charts.

Just as we breathed a sigh of relief, there was a shake-up in the executive levels of the incoming organisation. What would he do? How was this going to impact things?

Another bomb was dropped. The new boss was going to restructure the full organisation along with some pretty major staff reductions. It turns out it wasn’t over yet.

This past summer, we watched more people go.

The atmosphere is fraught with tension. Relief is there for some who have been given the news that their jobs are safe - might be a different role, but they are going to remain employed. Anxiety is profound for others who are waiting to hear and feelings of uncertainty as to how their future will unfold. Sadness is part of the mix as the news of colleagues who were not as fortunate to stay. Waiting, through all this tension, is painful. How much longer will it be before this ends?

In the next few weeks, there will be more announcements and more people will go. Restructures are scary things. Will you be next? Will your job be the one that is eliminated? Which of your co-workers will be in your next team meeting?

The managers are in off-site meetings, but not all are there. Does that mean the ones who are still in the office today will not be here when the new structure is announced? What exactly are they discussing? Are they determining your fate as you continue to toil in your job?

As much as you know that you have little to no control over what is happening and are unlikely to avert any pending doom over your fate, you can’t help but wonder. You can’t help but think about what is on the horizon. Focusing on other things only goes so far. If there was ever a time for faith and belief, this would be it.

I, for one, am looking forward to being through to the end of this period, whatever the outcome may be. Will it be a new chapter or a new direction? Will the next chapter and direction be a continuation of my current path. I know that all will be revealed in time. It’s just that the waiting is agony.