My, oh my….how Corporate America has changed. No longer is the "American dream" based on the thoughts of climbing the corporate ladder and dedicating a lifetime of service to one employer. Today's Corporate America doesn't want your lifetime commitment. Those days are long gone.
Today was a sad day for my father. After giving nearly 30 years of loyal service to Abbott Laboratories, based in Chicago, my dad was suddenly "retired out" this morning as he walked into work. He was given a pink slip and a box. No warning and no time to prepare. Just a done deal. To make things even more pleasant, Abbott also decided to make sure he was escorted out of the location and was not even given the opportunity to say bye to people he had worked around for decades. Evidently this new "policy" adopted by this failing company was to "avoid employee retaliation situations". Are you kidding me?
Dad wasn't alone this morning. Many of his other co-workers also got their pink slips and were escorted out like criminals in the same way. They congregated in the parking lot, in shock, had their last lunch together as they did for years every Wednesday, and then made their way home. Something my dad had done for nearly 30 years was suddenly taken away.
I can remember the days of being told to "find a good company…dedicate yourself to them and they will take notice. Then, you can climb that ladder of success." Both my great grandfather and my grandfather were some of the last few to ride that wave as they finished out working for Procter & Gamble and made for themselves a nice retirement, working until the age of 65. My dad got close, but Abbott decided to cut him short.
As the CEO of Equal Access Health, and as an entrepreneur, I cannot fathom how the people in command at today's corporations can make such insensitive decisions. Leading a $7 million dollar a year company has taught me a lot about making cuts, meeting budgets and working for profit. But all of those things can be achieved without running over others in the process and demoralizing those that have helped you accomplish what you have done. Cuts are sometimes a necessary evil, but there are correct ways to do such. What my dad experienced today was the epitome of the wrong turn today's corporations are taking. And, they won't succeed.
Ultimately, we cannot rest our hopes on man, our own company, an employer or even our own abilities. I choose to work for myself because I know it is what God has called me to do. But my risks are the same as any employee out there. I could lose my business as quick as anyone can be handed a pink slip and dump their stuff into a box.
The only company we all need to put our stock and trust in is the God Corporation, Inc. Only God Himself can be trusted. Despite our abilities and even though we fail time and time again, we can rest in knowing He will provide and lead us. We never have worry about getting a pink slip from Him.
He knows how to treat people.
Today's Corporate America does not.
"Masters (employers) grant to your slaves (employees) justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master (boss) in heaven." Colossians 4:1
© 2006, J. Brady
"I say it how I see it and I make no bones about it."
