| Topic Name: |
Inertia |
| Message Name: |
And now you know the secret behind the layoffs |
| Date Posted: |
01/01/2006 |
| In Reply To: |
Unlike many, my identity is not based upon working for Hewitt. I chose the company as an experienced hire in a non-benefits/HR specialty because of the opportunity to grow my skills. The fact that I had some friends at Hewitt who spoke highly of the company at the time made the decision easier, but "old Hewitt" was just gravy. So I'm not as wedded to the old benefits and style as some seem to be. It is a job and it is engaging and good for me at this point in time.
But I'm always a free agent. If someone comes along and makes me a better offer (or I find a better opportunity), I'll pack up and move on. I've done that a number of times in my working career. You feel that you've done all that you can, you feel the winds of change, or you just want some new scenery.
Would I like to spend the rest of my working days at Hewitt? Maybe. I'm at a place in my career where I need some stability. At my age, you don't go job-hopping like you can when you're 28. I'm senior in my role and making decent coin. There aren't many similar jobs out there with equivalent pay for the role, short of going to whole hog consulting (been there, done that, hated it).
Is Hewitt a "hell"? Not for me. I suppose that some folks feel that way. Clearly. most of them post here. But I've always worked hard and been rewarded adequately for my work. I'm no fan of what the company has become since going public. I knew this would happen and dreaded it because I've been through this elsewhere. It sucks. No two ways around that. Working for a public company is very different than working for a private company -- particularly one that had such an embedded culture that was so foreign to public companies. I welcome the financial discipline and our ability to grow the company, but I'm certain that our legacy leadership is completely overmatched. That's why every senior hire that they have made recently have been people from outside Hewitt. I'm dismayed that Dale now leads by Source posting, instead of getting up in front of associates like he used to. If you're going to follow someone, you have to see them leading once in a while.
I'm not happy about the turnover (voluntary and involuntary). What comcerns me is sitting with various implementation teams and seeing so many people who have never done ANY implementation. That's scary. We can do all the "lessons learned" reviews we want, but most of those folks don't have their own experience to draw upon and won't have the time to learn the lessons learned from other projects.
So why do I stay? Well, as I mentioned, I'm engaged by what I do -- it's about what I do, not who writes the check. Am I more likely to move on for another opportunity? Perhaps. The intangibles aren't there to keep me at Hewitt like they used to be. But that decision will be based upon the opportunity to grow my personal skills and increase my wage.
That's the approach you need to take at every step of your life -- what is in it for you and your family. |
| Message: |
Once they have gotten rid of everyone who remembers the way it was, it will be the whole new company they want. If you don't know how good it was, you don't know how sad it is. The decisionmakers seem much smarter if you don't have predecessors to compare them against.
It will probably be engaging for you (as it was for some of my friends) right up until they take you into the room let you know how appreciated your devotion has been. After all you are only doing the work of 3 people and we don't really need that. Surprise! You thought you were going to get a bonus or at least some expression of appreciation.
That is how they get those totally unbiased implementation teams who will do exactly what they are told to do, because that is all they CAN do. Not that they aren't smart enough, just as you point out, they are pressed for time and performing as fast as they can with limited experience bases. If they knew better, it might cause all those unnecessary time-wasting discussions about a better way.
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