The Weekend After

It was rumored that the executives had already decided on the lay-off the Friday before, but held off on any announcement until Tuesday. Some folks criticized them for that. As for me, I was grateful, since I was able to spend one more carefree weekend with my family. The announcement during the work week also allowed me to look at my options and to absorb the shock of it all before the next weekend came along. This past weekend, I participated in family activities; I took my children to the library, to a birthday party as well as to my parents' home for dinner. All this, I was able to do with a little less worry on my mind than when the news first hit me. So, for any employer or HR personnel out there, if you should ever consider a lay-off, please do it early in the week for the sake of your employees. I know, for sure, I would have very likely cancelled all these events if I did not have the extra time to take it all in.

I was asked several time during the course of the week by various folks, friends, customers and recruiters alike, why I was still loyal to my company and why I was not angry at my company for the lay-off. On the question of loyalty, I would say that if I did not believe in my company, in their message and service to my customers, I would not have worked there in the first place. As for resentment, what good would it do? Nothing could change what already happened. Anger would only make me lose focus on what I would need to do now, which would be to find employment and secure health care for my family. I also thought about it this way: what company would hire people and expected to let them go in such a short time. No one could have expected this.

This past week, leads came in and dropped off. One of my former managers cautioned me that it might be slow at first and to be patient and that things could come in all at once. I sure hope he is right.