Signs and Wonders

I work for a company that is currently going through a merger. We've been told that 13% of the employees of both companies will be laid off -- more in some departments, fewer in others. In my department, if we lose only 13%, that will be 2 or 3 people. Not bad. But, we know that the company we are merging with has exactly the same department with a lot more people. That could be good -- they'll get hit harder. That could be bad -- their department will be kept and ours will be completely eliminated.

My co-workers and I have been living with this stress since the buyout was first announced last summer. We keep waiting for some substantial news that will tell us one way or another -- will we stay or will we go...or will we be relocated? We have resorted to what we now refer to as Signs and Wonders. These are little things we catch ourselves interpretting as a good or bad sign.

Good news -- "The head of the department responded to an e-mail about the project we are working on this morning. He wouldn't have bothered responding if he knew the project was being scrapped."

Bad news -- "My supervisor wouldn't look at me when he told me about a meeting he was in. We were expecting important news from that meeting."

Good news -- "The head of Marketing attended a meeting about our project. She wouldn't waste her time if she knew the project was being killed."

Bad news -- "The company we are merging with is creating the same product for the same market as we are. They definitely won't keep the production of both products going."

It's so hard to live in this up/down world. One moment I think my job is secure -- at least until the project I'm working on is complete. The next I think I could be on the street next week.

I took this job at loss thinking it was a great opportunity. But now I have a mortgage I can't afford in a housing market where I stand to loose a lot if I try to sell it.

I'm doing job searches this month. I'm networking with others in the business in case they have any leads. I have to have an exit strategy. I have to know that there's some job I can pick up quickly if the bottom falls out.

Please keep me and the people at the company I work for in your prayers. 13% doesn't sound like a lot, but, as they say, so many of us are one paycheck from living on the streets. While I'm not quite in that position, I'm feeling closer each day. I may be a few months away from losing everything if I can't find a replacement job. And, who knows about the others who may lose jobs. So send your positive energy our way.