Unexpected Changes

Today was a really tough day. As a start up company keeping the company a float while waiting to hit the point of profitability is always a challenge. Although we have a few great products on the market the revenue did not come in soon enough. This morning 40% of our Israeli office got the axe.

This morning felt different but I did not suspect anything was wrong. Being the week of Chanukah lots of people are away. I was having problems getting the Blackberry Storm (touch screen) to work. The first version compatible with our software had just been released. My boss was away on vacation. Unknown to us our Asisstant Manager was not supposed to be in for the day. The manager from another department I work closely with was also away. The entire IT department was away. I think they had been working late with some recent server upgrades.

Around 10:30 one of the IT managers came around to fix a coworkers computer and say goodbye. A short time later word came about another very senior worker had also been let go. Another department had their door closed. I had never even noticed that there was a door to the department. Another person came to our department to provide two more names. Shock set in as we realized what was going on. One person in our department could not log onto the server with the new passwords that had been set over the weekend. He took it as a sign that he was finished. As he was called into the meeting, I realized I would be next if there were more cuts in our department. When he was finished I got the Skype to report to my boss's boss office.

I knew what was coming before I left my desk. I went into the meeting and just sat down speachless. They told me why the company was restructuring and they had to let me go. I just sat and watched the meeting happen around me. There would be a hearing next week where my employer would receive government approval of the move. As the meeting wound down, I gathered up the courage to ask if I was to go home right away or if I had to stay for the one month going home.

I returned to my desk devastated. My boss creates all kinds of Unix shortcuts to make our jobs easier. As I have no formal UNIX training, I wanted the translation file. I couldn't figure out how to use the computer to get the file. I had to ask a coworker to do it for me. The rumour we heard is it was 22 people plus a few who will be losing their jobs tomorrow in our American office. Everyone was walking around like zombies. There was a short meeting to explain the changes had to be done and those remaining will have a tough road ahead. The office was closed early in the afternoon because nobody was able to get any work done.

My boss phoned me at 6:00 to offer his sympathy. As he was on vacation he had no idea what had happened until he got home. He was unable to reach his boss and he didn't know if that meant is job was in trouble.

I think I am going to go to the Kotel tomorrow for a spiritual uplift. I will also take advantage of the time off to spend more time with my parents. Someone from our shul is having a meeting tomorrow to try to scoop up some of the laid off employees. QA is at the bottom of the priority list of what he is looking for. It does show that they are trying to help out. Today was a very down day. I am hoping to enjoy the extra time with my family and hope something better works out before our savings are stretched too far.