Today was a momentous one. Today the company I work for finally released/announced/whatever-you-want-to-call-it-ed the new "transformation strategy." From 11:00 to 12:30 EDT the whole company listened as our CEO and COO presented what our problems are, what we need to do to fix it, and how we're going to go about doing it. My company has been in decline for the past three years, and although we're not in the red yet (we're still making money, not losing it), we're not a profitable company, and our stock performance shows it.

The whole company is being restructured, and as part of that restructuring, it was announced today that in 2001 the company will be reducing its "headcount" by almost 30%. In other words, there are going to be massive layoffs. Somewhere around 3,000 people are going to lose their jobs because of this. Everyone knows that it's necessary--the company needs to turn itself around financially or we're headed for the junkpile--but no one wants to be the one who has to go. Me included.

I think my job is safe. We've known this was coming, although we didn't know how bad it was going to be, and my group has been trying to make itself "indispensable." Also, our department has already been cut in half over the past year due to some previous restructuring and through plain old attrition. Still...the possibility of unemployment looms over all our heads like a thundercloud.

If those of you fine people who believe in and find power in praying could find a small bit of your time to pray for my situation, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

Gri"veteran of the unemployment lines"shny