Bob CollinsI wrote — briefly — the other day that the people who are left behind after company layoffs are under their own brand of stress. I was hoping for some individual stories from News Cut readers but, alas, life is full of all sorts of disappointments.
Coincidentally, Fortune Magazine has an article on how to be the person still employed with 10 tips for success.
Here’s the one that seems most controversial to me:
For now, forget about work-life balance. A major preoccupation when the economy was humming along nicely, “having time for outside interests has to go right out the window now,” says Bright. “You need to concentrate on doing whatever it takes to make yourself indispensable.”
Just as we are now being told massive budget deficits aren’t to be worried about, we are finding that we’re now not supposed to give a rip about life outside of work.
Coming in the next issue, perhaps: Ten ways to survive divorce and look for work.
The Web site Lifehacker.com tackles the list and a reader confirms the notion that, at least in his case, getting left behind may be a more miserable outcome than being let go:
I got laid off in November, along with most of my engineering team. My biggest concern (ok, second biggest, I do have kids to feed) was for the engineer that was left behind. My first call was to him, and since I knew his skills well I sent him the offers I spotted that I thought might be a good fit. We all took a break over the holidays, but I’ve got to catch back up with him and do a more focused effort on getting him out of there, he’s miserable.
Let’s hear your story.
(h/t: Julia Schrenkler)
