This company was enticing when I was young - they brought me in young, then dumped me this week. At first, Honeywell was a bright spot - it allowed me to support my family while still in school, offered satisfactory training opportunities, allowed me to travel, and even promoted me. All was good, for a short time. It started with witnessing management's favorite employees receive promotions very high up the chain with fancy titles, but no experience. Then it was experienced folks getting looked over and pushed out. Then my turn came. I worked hard, had a good reputation, and was a solid performer (at least according to my above average block rating & very high raise percentage). But I landed within a group that treated some employees more favorably while they underperformed, violated company policy, and eventually found a way to receive promotions. I witnessed employees get themselves into trouble, not show up for work, leave early, & attempt to perform their jobs when they knew they couldn't because they had other priorities in life. All this to no fault of their own - they were taking advantage of a system so flawed that it perpetuated this type of behavior - and for that, I cannot blame them. Earlier this week I watched it happen for the final time - the kiss of death meeting landed on the calendar (the night before - they didn't even have the respect to wait until the day of). I knew it was coming, so I prepared accordingly. After my Director read the script - the final piece of BS I would have to hear from them - they stopped to ask me if I had any final questions. At that moment, something odd occurred to me - I had only heard this Director's voice a handful of times; once the day they interviewed me, once when they did a reduction in force and announced it was complete, and then, finally, this script that they just read to me. Honest to God those were the 3 occasions I had ever heard their voice (saw plenty of emails with the "FYI and flowdown" tag line - you all know what I am talking about). So, as I am deciding what questions I could ask this Director it was obvious that they wouldn't be able to answer them - they did not know who I was, nor did they know any employee who worked beneath them. So, the meeting ended uneventfully - I didn't curse at them, didn't act with disrespect, and simply hung up the phone, walked outside, and took the next step in life. Just today I learned that the Director had a nice dose of Karma served up this week. But, I won't celebrate that. What I celebrate is the fact that I am young, a professional, have a good education & a broad network - that I won't wake up one day at 55 years old with diabetes, heart disease, 2 chins & a beer gut and be told that I have to call an employee who I don't know, that works hard, and tell them its their last day. I'm happy I won't be part of the problem - if the company is even still in business. So, Director, thank you for the call. And no, I don't have any questions - only answers.
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Honeywell was good for my family, too for a long time. I met my eccentric husband there and he was there over 40 years until his forced/unexpected RIF/retirement on Monday. He has a great deal of product knowledge and his coworkers will miss him even if they couldn’t stay goodbye. A slap in the face to his long career. His previous director was our manager who told me he would always take care of him because he was a solid performer. The director died of cancer a couple years ago, and since, he has had one great manager, and one who didn’t care how bad he felt during the worst year of his life fight a serious cancer with treatments for over a year. His previous managers would take that under consideration. Anyhow, other than worrying about healthcare (promised at his hiring), he overall didn’t have a bad time until the last decade and even then, his good managers and co-workers made up for that. At least he doesn’t have to worry about getting Covid-19 when everyone is forced into the open seating before a vaccine is out! Changing your identity is asways hard but sometimes things happen for a reason. No bad karma for him.
Fat Shaming AGAIN....."55 years old with diabetes, heart disease, 2 chins & a beer gut"
Sorry if we offend you, millennial candya**.
Signed,
Two chins and a beer gut.
Sounds like it was time for you to move on.
I started in 1981 Phoenix Aero then allied signal. 37 years later the same happened to me.
I was allowed to relocate on my dime, work from home as I traveled all I've the world giving problems, Received stock options then showed the food Ruth an ultimatum. Drive 2 hours to a honeywell or get fired.
After lawyers intervened, they told my manager to stand down , the offered a great package and I agreed to retire. Best life move ever!
There is quality life after Honeyhell,
A journey has many bumps and I hope your path is full of great accomplishments. By your writing and your outlook, I believe you will be fine. Never give up, just keep moving forward!
As Honeywell is where you started, your mind must be running through tons of worst case scenarios. Hopefully, your skill set is portable to companies in your current area. But if not, the most difficult part of a layoff is to be willing to move to a competitor's city, or be willing to take a step back in rank/pay to master a new field. Stay flexible. Ask yourself if you had to move, where would be exciting? The Florida coast at Pratt or Northrup? Rockets at Blue Origin? Keep an open mind and you may look back on this as the best thing that ever happened to you.
very well said my friend! i feel your pain, and your relief too! i am not affraid for you! i dont know you, but by reading your post i know without a doubt that you are a true leader and that you will find a better way, your own way! good luck