Show j i Y ASK AS TIE THE GOOD GIRLS WITH LESLIE WHITAKER FIRED AND BURNED Dear Readers Not long ago one of my relatives got fired by the new CEO of a nonprofit agency He was told that he was being let go at 4 pm p.m. and expected to tobe tobe tobe be out of his office never to return by 5 pm p.m. I have heard too many stories lately about honest hardworking people who have been given only hours to clear out Still others have been required to choose between a cross-country cross transfer and unemployment In such pressure high-pressure separations separations separations office keys and time to think are snatched along with dignity Sure thieves who are uncovered deserve to be shown the door pronto but why would any employer treat trusted employees this way This is no small concern See GOOD GIRLS Page 2 of the Job Guide r GOOD i tJ GIRLS Ii Treat others as you if i want to be treated if you were fired i r k CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 7 OF THE JOB GUIDE Layoffs affect thousands of people every month the vast majority of who are reliable employees Last year more than 14 million workers were laid off In December alone iJ there were 1201 layoff actions actions actions ac ac- that affected 50 or more employees No indu industry try is immune but the brunt falls on the manufacturing construction construction construe construe- tion transportation and food service industries which accounted for 33 percent of all mass layoffs according to the US U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics What is a fair amount of time between letting someone go and expecting them to be gone John Challenger a partner partner partner part part- ner at Chicago-based Chicago outplacement outplace outplace- ment specialists Challenger Gray Christmas contends that the way this delicate is isI issue issue is- is I sue of separation is handled should not be governed solely by blanket corporate policies It depends on the situation he says Lots of companies feel a clean break is necessary But there are times when its it's just wrong Whenever anyone is let go it is a psychological blow Once you tell someone inevitably that person feels betrayed whether by the boss or the company for which they have worked so hard says Challenger You feel like you have been misunderstood and companies know that laid off workers can spread their anger I and frustration through the hallways If you have someone around who feels that way at atI atthe atthe I the company who is unhappy and vocal it can be bea a strain on everybody else he says On the other hand when managers have no reason to worry about an employees employee's conduct and are virtually certain he will not do the company company company com com- pany any harm they should take tike another tack You should treat that person with respect I says Challenger Showing I that you dont don't hold any ill will willis is a very important message to send also one that will be received both by the former fonner colleague and workers co-workers who arc are still on the job Outplacement firms finns may lend some psychological support by helping laid off employees process what has happened to them Its very important to let them vent to help them come to terms with it emotionally and then figure out how to present it to the world Challenger says Amidst today's unrelenting pressure to boost shareholder value executives who show their subordinates the door often worry that they may be next Companies are in a hard spot There is so much pressure pressure pressure pres pres- sure to cut costs Everybody who is mak making ng these decisions decisions decisions deci deci- realizes they could be caught by the next wave says Challenger That's yet another reason to treat people the way you would like to be treated c Features Got a problem at work Leslie Whitaker co-author co of The Good Girls Girl's Guide to Negotiating ing would like to hear from you Send Leslie mail e-mail at or write rite to PO P.O. Box Shore Shorewood WI |