Friday 15 May 2009

Integrity in Recession

Howdy there guys!

I have been a bit off-colour of late in blogging. I just feel as if I have nothing 'personal' to say. Now I have several things, SOOOO

So I am going to try and get them all out in the near future i.e. the next hour if my memory lasts that long!

So...

INTEGRITY IN RECESSION.

Something we often don't associate together.

At work we often have days where it is quiet and we stand around (or indeed sit sometimes) and have a bit of a gossip. I was talking to one lady and we were discussing news headlines which at this time made 95% of newspaper's front pages. (It was a little while ago.) We discussed that while all these figures are scary and daunting.... 2 million unemployed etc etc. My brother is unemployed. I can relate to this. Her son was unemployed. We can relate. We found that increasingly we can relate to these headlines and it was therefore more shocking to us BECAUSE we KNEW someone who was going through the exact same problems.

Recently we had a bit of a scare. Well, in the end it didn't involve us directly. My dad was approached by boss this week and told that one guy of my dad's outfit was being made redundant. We were worried. Of course we were. Who would be next?

By the end of this week my dad was again approached by his boss and told that another person would have to go. Only 3 salesmen would be allowed to operate under this section of the company. Now my dad had been brought on under this section of his company to pick up falling figures. My dad is a bit of a terrier with a bone- once he has it he won't let go. He likes a challenge, even if the other dog who wants the bone is bigger. His boss told him that he had a choice.

He came and picked me up from work and on the way back home he said to me that he had been given an "option". EEK. Worry time. He gave a dour look. He had been told his job was safe regardless. He is the only person making the targets. HOWEVER there was a vacancy for a job in another section that was weak and wasn't hitting financial targets. They wanted him to come over, where his job would most definitely be secure and he would save his other three colleagues from having to (as far as I understand it) apply for their current jobs, but of which there was only two. If my dad transferred, his mates (as he viewed them) would keep their jobs. Otherwise, he would choose to stay and they would have to come under review.

Now *shamefaced* I admit I wondered what my dad would do. He was NOT happy. He only fairly recently just switched to this section, had turned around his bit and hitting targets. He was just making his mark and reaping the rewards. I thought he may stick to his guns. He is very competitive like that. It is the Leo in him. I have it at times, but since I am half Virgo (I am born on the cusp) I do not display it half as doggedly as he does sometimes. I really thought he may just stay where he was and let Ian (which I am pretty sure it would have been taking a look at areas and figures and all) would go. He has a nine month old kid. I really though Dad would be a stubborn b*st*rd!!

Today he had a meeting and gave his answer keeping us waiting. He has decided to switch over. He is not amused but he said it was an ultimatum at the end of the day. His colleagues would never have trusted/liked him again in the office he worked with. So...

I am sorry to my Daddy who I doubted for a moment. I forget that money and what a person wants to do can be ignored and someone can do the right thing. So I dedicate this blog to my dad. Well done. Sorry for doubting you, but you have a higher integrity than many going through this "recession". Many would have eliminated the competition. Thanks for restoring my faith in my daddy. Fluffly guy :,D

(BTW he doesn't read this- I don't think he knows how it works/thinks it is a little bit of a 'Me' thing to do!)

Integrity in Recession...

2 comments:

Old Fogey said...

It doesn't read as you doubting your Dad, only concern over a moral conflict where your Dad could have been adversely affected. You didn't doubt him so much as got your concern about the possible outcome for him mixed into the moral dilemma. He did the right thing. Don't criticise yourself - you were looking out for your Dad. You were both right.
OF

The Not-so-Spotless Mind said...

:D Thanks OF. I doubt myself sometimes :)