‘We are all mercenaries. Act like it’: Cold-blooded company fires employee on their 2 year anniversary

Advertisement
  • 01
    r/antiwork u/Quirky_Ad_4086 . 4d I was randomly laid off yesterday without warning and got kicked off of everything once the meeting ended
  • 02
    I'm still in shock in what happened yesterday. Thursday, the 22nd, was my two year anniversary at the company, we all celebrated briefly in a meeting. Then Thursday night I got a "Skip level meeting" invite with the VP of the department. He was the one who initially hired me and after googling what a skip level meeting was every article said to not panic, but it was just a chance to chat with upper management. So I carried on my Friday as usual working and thinking that the meeting was just a fr
  • 03
    All throughout last night, I got messages all over LinkedIn about how shocked and sudden it was when I left (more like kicked out). 25 people got selected for the first wave. The most shocking one, my direct supervisor didn't even know I was part of the selected group and messaged me apologizing that she didn't know and couldn't stop it since I got kicked out by the time she knew.
  • 04
    All this to say, it's true what they say. Companies will kick you out in literally a heartbeat. I understand layoffs but the way the company went about it seemed so heartless... lesson learned. Within 15 minutes, everything I worked hard for the last 2 years meant nothing. My heart truly goes out to everyone on the same boat!
  • 05
    kirrrrbylicious • 4d The exact same thing happened to me last Friday. Random meeting, five minutes later I lost all my access. Four years of work just gone, and no one gives a at the end of the day. It's an awful feeling. Sending all the good job search vibes your way.
  • 06
    denimadept 4d ● You are not your job. I learned that in 1991 after my first job ended. It strikes me as a very important lesson.
  • 07
    Quirky_Ad_4086 OP. 4d Definitely a lesson I won't forget!
  • 08
    kaileenfe 4d ● This happened to me two weeks ago. Random meeting was added to my calendar (I work remotely), which was odd but i thought nothing of it and joined. Wasn't too concerned when the head of our team was in there with me but then the VP joined and it hit me like a ton of bricks that there was no other reason a higher up like him would be there. I have always been a top performer on the team (manager has inadvertently screenshared team stats with me on several occasions so i know im top
  • 09
    Quirky_Ad_4086 OP. 4d Thank you! Best of luck to you as well! The blindsiding is what me off the most! They preplanned this and still acted normal towards me until the very last moment and just cut me off, like BEST OF LUCK TO ! Lesson learned tho YOU!!
  • 10
    svenska_aeroplan • 4d This has been my experience as well. The decision comes from someone so far removed from what you do, it doesn't matter how good you were at your job or if your manager would have picked someone else. We're all just a line in a spreadsheet.
  • 11
    12whistle 4d My lesson in life is to never be loyal to your employer but always be loyal to the good folks on your team. The company pays for your labor, not your loyalty and respect is a two way street. Now it's Time for you to apply for unemployment benefits.
  • 12
    Quirky_Ad_4086 OP. 4d I already applied for unemployment! It was the first thing I did after I picked myself back up last night! 100 great advice and life lesson thank you!!
  • 13
    lestairwellwit. 4d Picture yourself, a friendly frog, giving a scorpion a ride across the river. You know that one, huh? It's what scorpions do The hard part is learning who the scorpions are. Good luck on your search and get some sturdier boots.
  • 14
    TrashPanda2point0 • 4d You were not randomly selected like pulling a ping pong ball out of a drum. They already pegged you and the other 24 people to be laid off at least 2 weeks prior.
  • 15
    Quirky_Ad_4086 OP. 4d I see that now but wouldn't they want us to prep some stuff prior to shutting us out? I had so many passwords that only I had access to for multiple accounts and proposals and projects that were due that afternoon seemed like poor planning on their part but guess that isn't my problem now!
  • 16
    Draconis118 • 4d A lesson I learned early on is this. We are mercenaries. Act like it. Helps to realize that is the reality. Or it does for me. I give and expect no loyalty from my staff or my employer. Only to myself and my family
  • 17
    MutaitoSensei . 4d Happened to me too. No employer can be trusted, we're not "family", and we can be thrown out on a whim, even in Canada here. Let the wound heal, but don't mask it.
  • 18
    Quirky_Ad_4086 OP. 4d I definitely didn't see anyone as "family" but friends, yes especially the VP cause he was so invested in my career growth and just my life. I always talked so highly of him until yesterday. That was a real eye opener and disappointing to see. Co-workers are not friends.. learned the hard way but glad I learned it!

Tags

Scroll Down For The Next Article