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Thursday, August 27, 2009

Layoffs Singapore Way!

A fire alarm rings at 4 p.m. when almost 5000 shift employees are in the office. The entire office is evacuated within 3 minutes and every employee gathers outside.

10 minutes... 15 minutes... 20 minutes....

There comes an announcement on the public address: “With a broken and melting heart I have to inform you that for some of you this will be your last evacuation drill. Due to recession we are laying off 50 per cent of employees. While re-entering, if your ID card doesn’t work, then you are among those laid off and all your belongings will be couriered to you tomorrow. We are doing this because we don’t want to fill email boxes with layoff mail and goodbyes. Also, to avoid fights.

“Hope and wish you a great career ahead. Please move in and try your luck.”

7 comments:

  1. This cannot be true, or is it? Unbelievable.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sanjukta, Unbelievable, but from the premise it has the traces of authenticity hidden in it.

    Could be, couldn't be. We are in a recession, aren't we?

    :) Thanks for your comment!

    J

    ReplyDelete
  3. reminds me of the 80s and the 90s when employees got the "brown bag" send off. you'd go to work and find your personal stuff from your work station neatly packed in a carton. and the silent security escorting you to the front door! but this one takes the cake. they are an efficient lot, i say!

    ReplyDelete
  4. John,

    this is closer to reality and closer home than many people think. I have myself heard from many GRIMs (globally respected IT majors) who have escorted people to the front gate, because their projects had not come as expected by 'senior company planners'. indeed, plans have gone awry right upto the highest level!
    no time for finding a new workplace, no goodbyes. just a brown bag.

    ss

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi John Matthew

    Now that was an extremely smart move.

    Lol!

    ReplyDelete

Hi, thanks for your sweetness and consideration to comment on my post. However, I have disabled anonymous comment for obvious reasons. Leave a honest comment and we can discuss it, toss it back and forth like a ball across a tennis court!