Recession time stories

So I was talking to this friend after a long time. Almost 4 months, the span in which she got married, changed her city, started a new life and a new job.

Now we both belong to that category of humans, who loved their first jobs (companies more than that). The same category of humans, who take offence if they hear anything bad, critical being said about their corporate Alma mater (ok, I take it more seriously!!).  Yeah, you can brand them as stupid school kids, who are very loyal to their believes. So much that we still follow the news feeds on our respective companies, she after changing her job and me after changing my priorities. 

Inside story, I know which bus routes have changed, from which parking lot the buses leave now, how the new employee center is not as good as the one at Mysore, how many H1-B visas have been issued in a particular unit, what the current hiring trend and rate is, and numerous shitty details. You can call me psychotic, if you wish :P

So we were discussing all these things when she started asking me about my career map. It's a cankerous topic. I go into cribbing mode almost instantly. And the other person is just short of banging his own head onto the wall (long distance calls help!).  And our discussion moved to the more obvious culprit 'recession'.

And we started talking about the phenomenon called 'corporate cost cutting'!!

1. Number of vending machines suddenly start disappearing. A month ago if your floor had 4 different types of coffee machines, now the whole floor sips the same old drab and cheapest coffee of the local vendor.

2. I have heard that some companies had stopped the use of paper towels as a means to cut costs.

3. Some bus routes are often changed or shortened or altogether closed.

4. Employees are encouraged to take meagerly paid sabbatical (!!!!$$$!!!!)

5. Well we all are aware, how performances (in time and out times) start getting monitored, once bad times strike.

6. Hiring rate slows down.

7. No more onsites. For indefinite period at least.

8. Salary hike looks like an illusion.

9. The bench/bay phenomenon increases beyond imagination. You are considered of the highest order if you still have fruitful work. By which I don't mean playing sudoku/solitaire or solving puzzles or reading blogs whole day.

10. All messengers suddenly get banned. How people still find out proxies is a different issue.

11. Dry spell hits the project parties and outings. These are the very in things in corporate world, which suddenly become "out" and waste of time and resources.

12. Insecurity creeps in the lives of many. Back up plans become a necessity.

And thus goes on the corporate saga. I am happy for all of them who have jobs and work. And for those who are having a tough time, hang in there people. Patience normally gets paid with the greatest of rewards. :)

~nightflier!