The Long Goodbye

In December 2017, the company I worked for sold to a large public company... The beginning of a roller coaster ride. Acclimating to the structure of a public company has been quite a transition. In private company, we were able to handle things. If something landed on my desk, I either took care of it, or delivered it to someone who could. In a public company... Not so much. As a private company we felt like family. In a private company.... We are nothing but an employee number. In a private company, we had freedom to come up with new idea, easier ways of doing things. In a public company, everything has a templet and you must not vary from "The Templet". 

Whenever a company is sold, there is always a lot of uncertainty. Will they keep the original employees? If they do, how long will it last? We all feel that we have been in limbo for the last couple of years. I am fortunate that I was taken in under the corporate umbrella. But even though I've been fortunate, I still don't feel safe. Last week we discovered (by accident) that they would be closing all of the facilities in town. Today the deed was done and many of my co-workers were laid off. It was heartbreaking because we are like family. I think I have survivors guilt. I am one of a handful of employees that will remain working (so they say), even if it's from home. I am appreciative of the opportunity I've been given, but my heart is heavy for everyone who hasn't been as lucky. The last two years has been a long goodbye to everything we loved about what we did and who we worked for.   I know new chapters will open for my co-workers, but they are chapters from a book they didn't intend to read.