The mean season..

Bracing for tough times..

The head honcho in my company have had a town hall meeting with the employees.
He said about 5.000 people will be affected by a corporate downsizing exercise.
"What is the point of keeping some deadwood and paying them when we can pay them off?," said the man.
This is the first time in the 42 years of history in the company that such an exercise is taking place.
He said that a downsizing committee has been formed to cull at least 10 - 15% of the workforce.
Some took the news lightly while there are those who were rather depressed with such an exercise.

No stranger to the chopping block..

Personally, I have survived three downsizing exercise.
Back in 1998, I was offered the Voluntary Separation Scheme letter.
In it, I get two months of salary for every year of service. 
I applied for this and was rejected.
Two years later, another letter of offer came, I also applied for the scheme and had my application rejected.
A third scheme came and did the same. 
It too was rejected.
Back in the days when I was a rookie in the workforce, I was "let go" three times.
My foray in the world of employment was a disaster.
I worked under three bosses and was told to leave after my probation ceased.
That, to me, was a learning curve.
In the years to come, I made some hasty decisions that cost me plenty.
Nevertheless, I held on and made my journey to what I am today.

Learning, a life-long process..

If you are an exemplary employee, the company would have no reasons to cull you.
And it is a norm for the management to identify who them want pay off and if the applications do match their requirements, the said employee will be laid off.
In my predicament, the best move now, is to dig in and weather out the situation.
No reasons to act irrationally and be overwhelmed with emotions on the matter.
My policy in such matters is to be in the rear with the gear...