Merry Christmas! you're fired

The Reality of this bad economy hit close to home for me this week. A month before Christmas, my co-workers and I learned that nearly 25 percent of us will lose our jobs due to budget cuts.

Merry Christmas…here's a pink slip for you.

I have already seen several co-workers leave. It will be strange walking past their empty cubicles because many of them held their positions for twelve to twenty-nine years.

They will probably think they are dreaming when they wake up the next day. Instead of working, they will apply for unemployment office.

One of my co-workers was our “Employee of the Year” for 2008. Unfortunately, it didn't ease her burden as left carrying her personal effects in a cardboard box.

My co-workers and I learned a difficult lesson. We are expendable and our employer has a budget to maintain.

It's been emotionally challenging going to work. Instead of a mass layoff, management is doing it gradually. This means we have to come to work every day and pretend everything is normal while waiting for a termination phone call from human resources.

It would have been more merciful to do a mass layoff so the remaining 75 percent of staff could continue working without fear.

The ones who don't get laid off will have to pick up the slack and work more for the same pay.

I am sure management will tell them to be thankful they are still employed. To ease the pain, management is offering stress management training. I wonder if those who were laid off can take this course? They are the ones that need the training most. I doubt if the training if offered to former employees.

Today will be another challenge.

I will go to work and keep my fingers crossed I don’t get a phone call or email from human resources.