Pain in the Assets

Pain in the Assets.

As I sit on my sofa for the 212th consecutive day of Lockdown and having had to put up with an increased level of usage that has seen it prematurely age, I notice that its looking crushed, lop sided and tired. It is still a good sofa with many years of service left, it just needs straightening out, dusting down and plumping up. It looks how I feel.

While I stare out from my slightly wonky and flattened seat at the driving rain it got me thinking about the current work situation or lack of and the response to the shrinking economy that has led to so many redundancies and staff placed on furlough, (or as recruiters are referring to it, delayed redundancy), the appallingly ill-conceived and insensitive Government campaign of Rethink, Reskill, Reboot and the haste with which employers discarded staff. So much for people come first.

A quick glance at any business values and claimed culture will identify messaging that its staff are the business, that the talent is central to the heartbeat of the business and their welfare at the core of how they operate. Yet at the first sign of the Covid 19 pandemic the first thing that has happened has been mass layoffs. If people are truly valued by a business why are they the first thing that is cut in an attempt to reduce cost? The answer is surely that these companies prioritise profit above people without thinking about the long term repercussions for the business or personal pain and turmoil such hasty decisions cause for their so called valued staff. What these businesses have failed to understand is that people and their interactions are the business and they are nothing without them.

Cost versus Value
As a consequence of mass redundancies and the increased level of job seekers, prospective employers are understandably in a stronger negotiating position but some of the antics have been less than professional and certainly not those of a business who understands the difference between cost and value.

Many contacts, friends and associates have told me of a troubling trend where they have been asked as part of the interview process, to produce a full scheme design for free for a live opportunity, something I have unfortunately experienced myself. I’m glad to note that we have all declined the offers. Market forces are also forcing down potential salaries which is understandable but disappointing and as usual some companies are trying their luck. All I can say is that with all things in life, you get what you pay for.

Unprofessional Professionals
And finally, while I’m having a job orientated rant… another common theme from my discussions with fellow job seekers is the frustrations of non- communication and the lack of courtesy of a simple reply. We get it, we’ve not experienced a moment like this before, times are tough, you’re probably experiencing higher than normal level of applications but that’s no excuse for not sending out a simple response whether it be good, bad or indifferent. It’s mentally hard as it is without having to endure others unprofessionalism.