Tuesday 8 February 2011

The performance bonus.

*
"We don't need you any more, you're surplus to requirements, we're letting you go."

"You're what!?"
"What went wrong?"
"Wasn't I good enough?"

"Oh, no, nothing like that. Nothing personal. You understand?
With the budget cuts something had to give, and unfortunately
it was your job."

"But what'll happen to the program I was working on? Who will care?"

“I don't know."

"Not my problem."

"That's the way it is."

"Not my decision."

"My hands are tied."

"The performance bonus? Yes I get a bonus for cutting costs, it doesn't matter how it's done,

it’s the bottom line that counts."


*


A drabble is a story told in 100 words. No more. no less.

This isn't a personal story, but unfortunately I suspect this attitude is commonplace in many Government  departments. Shortsightedness about valuable programmes takes second place to cost cutting without regard for long term implications. My role is to assist people to get back on their feet.

5 comments:

Liza said...

Oh gosh, it's not only true in government departments. Try reading that the CEO of your former company received a $1M+ bonus...after major layoffs. How many jobs could that sum have retained?

Sue said...

Liza, I despair of common sense ever prevailing. There'd obviously be less unemployment, improved self esteem, less drain on unemployment benefits, oh and the list goes on and on. It's madness, and the benefits are obscene.

Anonymous said...

The man in the street always feels to be important, but unfortunately he’s not. His (or her) misery and suffering is the currency by which the rich and privileged buy their Utopia. It’s obscene of course. It’s always been like that. It always will be.
Thanks for this well constructed and delivered drabble.

All the best, Boonie

Sue said...

Boonie, I know it's true, but somehow I always find myself fighting the inevitable, and beating my head against the brick wall. Do you think it was like that in cave man days too?

Anonymous said...

Impossible question – and there weren’t any streets in caveman days anyway. But more seriously I guess that the weak have always been exploited by the strong and/or pirvileged, regardless of the era.

Have a nice day, Boonie