Total Mayhem when the Axe fell

Dear Diary,

Today was an incredible day. It was the first time I ever saw people got retrenched before my very eyes. The axe fell mercilessly but I could understand why the company had to do that. It had to stay afloat. Better some drown than everyone? That’s working in the private sector for you. Even Japanese corporations which are renowned for providing “iron rice-bowl” jobs are resorting to the boot. Not that I had any remote danger of getting laid off but it was heart-wrenching to see how about 25% of the workforce was decimated before your very eyes. People were teary, red-eyed, spoke in hushed voices, weeping, shivering tones, unnatural humour...

In my previous jobs, retrenchment was probably the last thing in mind as those institutions were perennially short of employees and the attrition rate was high. In those days, demoralisation came from excessive resignations of pharmacists and that huge difficulty in recruiting those scarce talents. In this current organisation of mine, the strategy plan was clear... Bite the bullet, cut out the excesses and emerge as a leaner and meaner machine. Maybe this Japanese MD is more western minded than I thought with this clear-out. The worst-off were those mid-40s males who are the sole bread-winners. Their families will suffer and go hungry with them. It was a timely reminder for me that this is a dog-eat-dog society. Show your value and you stay. These faceless corporations show little nostalgia towards you even if you gave 30 years of your youth. So I don’t think we are expected to be loyal to them either. Whoever gives you the best offer will be your employer.

Though I am young, educated, armed with a regulatory-protected licence and well sought-after... there will come a time I will be in my 40s and juggling the finances of my own nuclear family. Those will also be the days when I need to give the best to my wife and children, and the last thing I want is to experience what I saw today. Food for thought.

As I left the office today, I jaywalked and walked straight into a traffic policeman. He saw me break the rule but he ignored me. Thank God he gave me a chance or else I will be $20 poorer. =P After I uneasily walked past him, the traffic policeman stepped from the pavement and into the centre of the road to halt a van. It is a heavy-hearted day but thank God it’s Friday. Can’t wait for cell-group meeting in the morning and a date at the Night Safari at night of course, haha... Never went there in my life. =)

God Bless,

Andrew