The farewell trance inducing song Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (English: Never Say Good Bye), from the Hindi movie Roti Kapda Aur Makaan was sung at the farewell party in the final year of our college. [I know it is the same in most of the farewell trances.]
Although we were moving ahead leaving behind memories of a 3--5 year-old friendship, to reach out our fortunes in the real world, chasing dreams, where in one can proof oneself and stay with them long-term. But, if life has other plans for us then this is the situation. Three years of togetherness, caring and sharing with some of those angle-like friends was to come to an end. Touch-wood, Iam still in-touch with those treasured friends. And that's a different story !
But, this is not the case when one decides to quit a job in a search to persuade their dream career. Or, if the company decides to down-size. Departing colleagues-friends is quite a different experience.
It was hardly 2 or 3 month that I had joined my first job as intern soon after my graduation. It is here that I realized how employees were treated when being laid off, even after years of dedicated service. I was just a little more than a fresher, what better could be expected. I was treated like a criminal when being laid off. They waited until the end of the day and told me it was due to the failing economy and I had done nothing wrong, but was given about 10 minutes notice and then stood over and rushed while I was trying to gather my personal belongings. It was as good as a slap on the face. I had hardly entered the corporate world and there was a end to it, all the way too soon. Many of the people were let go based on ‘LIFO' (Last-In : First-Out) as they are considered dispensable, so they may not complete their anniversary in their first job. Even after years, i still remember, it was a day of solar eclipse. I did not bother to take the bus or auto, but instead walked until I reached home heavy hearted. But, promised to myself that i'll never let it happen to me again. On my resume it shows up at short stints as if I were 'job-hopping' but in reality it was not.
Soon I joined forced with another company. Thank God; The silicon city never was short of hungry employers waiting to grasp potential candidates. Here I stayed, for nearly a decade. I grew with the company both personally and professionally. This company saw me grow from 'Miss' to 'Mrs'; from 'care-free adventurous-youth' to 'mature adult'; and in the process I had earned many friends for life.
And when I decided to quit, a month was the transition time that I got, or was asked to. Any more would have overkill, I put down strongly. Seriously, they requested me to stay a month more, but knew that I couldn’t do much of anything in the last few weeks anyway. All the while, I was wondering how they would say goodbye to an employee who was leaving for another job — outside the company. If a valuable employee wants to quit it’s certainly worthwhile it to put up a fight. So, it started with, “Is there something I can do to change your mind?, blab, blab...” No counter offer could succeed to make a stand, as I had already put one foot out of the door. But the recognition and offer for more money probably told the true intent in that first conversation. Fortunately, I had seen departures that were handled well. Goodbye's say a lot about us as leaders. I had seen more than a dozens in the 10-year span in this company. So knew the formalities. The exist interview was just a cleshay. With a pad of paper in front of you, asked what you can do better as a leader, how the team could run better, ... and so on. One may not be completely honest with it at first, but if the company stays open and receptive and start taking notes, chances are that one will start sharing some valuable tid-bits.
They let me go graciously. It’s about the person who’s leaving and, even more importantly, those who stay behind. How one says goodbye says a lot to his friends and co-workers. A small party was organised by my team. Someone took up the leadership of collecting money from the rest of team. Eachone made some contribution and bought a decent-size Silver Ganesha idol. It was presented to me in a tray full of fruits, flowers, bangles,... Woow... that was simply touching. Close friends gave individual memorables. Yes, they had actually stoped work at some point to acknowledge my departure. I wanted to take them and the team to lunch or have a get-together near the end of the last day. But was filled with grief by the thought of departure. I profusely thanked them, it was not just paying lip service. I really felt like a prized possession was being let go. Wow, that’s how you say "Goodbye" !
Years later, I was in my new office. It was a Friday, post lunch I could sense some chaos around. One collogue came down looking green and told us he'd been fired, the news spread like forest fire, one after the other, there were many in the row. It was part of general downsizing for the company. The kind where everyone was escorted out of the building by a security guard. Several of us intervened and the firing was rescinded, but for the time-being, only to be continued on the following Friday. The very thought that how employees were treated when being laid off, even after years of dedicated service was very scary nightmare. It was definitely a sad and lonely way to end the time with a company, to walk the gauntlet of cheers and backslaps with a wide grin. Up to that point, I recollect reading somewhere: ‘you are only as good as your last deal,’ but after that day, I knew it was very much true. I spoke with a friend recently who had just retired from her company after long years of service. She was going to take care of her extended family. Disgusted she said, “Once I announced my retirement they could not wait to get me out fast enough. There’s no leaving there with honour.” It was very awful.
All I expect now is that, when I quit a company, I want them to say Thanks. Let me know that my service has been valued. I shall definitely work to leave one such mark. The reason I have changed positions is to better my career, not to just find another "job". Each step in a new direction has given me exceptional experience that I have been able to leverage at the next position. By the 3rd position, now, I have taken the next step in my career. Having a career focused rationalization has been beneficial and ultimately has taught me that being selfish is not necessarily always a bad thing as long as you are also there to benefit the company you are working for as well.
