When you’ve been here for years your coworkers end up being your friends outside of work. But when layoffs happen that seems to change. I've lost count of people I used to hang out regularly with who stopped returning my calls after they've been laid off. It's like they now see me as an enemy since I still work here. I can understand them being hurt and angry, but it saddens me they end up taking it out on me (I'm certainly not somebody who has any say in whether they will stay or go.)
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I learned a long time ago to try and keep my work and friends separate. Even though I socialize with my colleagues after work, I do not consider them close friends. It allows for more honest work-related feedback. With that said, your former colleagues probably feel they lost their jobs unfairly and resent anything/anyone that reminds them of their former employer.
Thanks, @2frr, made me smile.
Bosses will fire you!
Lovers will leave you!
Friends and families will forget you!
Once you realize that, it's easy to detach and move on.
@1cdx+1bcCFHPl. -- ostracized. You destroyed your colleagues hope for better things. Like leaving prison only to return and say this is as good as it gets. Hand me a bullet.
It really depends on the person, some just want to cut their complete connection with the company due to personal experience, fresh start and all that good stuff.
The same goes for those that remain with the company, can’t really talk anything about work, can talk about other stuff but well...
Most were never your friends. They network/socialize/kissup if it is in their interest. Easy to tell who is the worst as they drop you from linkedin when you get laid off.
But considering I was hired bt the competition at a higher manageral level, I expect there will be a time when they hit me up again, and I can hit ignore.
Welll, here is a twist for you! I've recently gone back to Honeywell and was strangely met with what felt like ostracism from some of the people that are still there, that I DID KEEP IN TOUCH WITH! It almost feels like they resent my return! Go figure.......
After you part ways with your work friends for whatever reasons you soon discover they were work acquaintances not really work friends
A good friend of mine was fired for cause. He had been teaching me about his job, should he ever retire I could take over for him. Being fired was not part of his plan, and they did give me his job. He resented me for it, thought I had something to do with his firing, and he never returned my emails or calls afterwards. I was sorry to see that happen. They did find another job however, so it did work out for him in the end state.
Don't take it personally but you just remind them of a bad time in their life. When you get canned (for legitimate or illegitimate reasons) you get "kicked out of the club". Getting your rank stripped from you and being drummed to the security gate is not a highlight in anyone's life.
I got laid off in 2020. There is lot of shame on top of the anger. It’s often hard to be friends with someone that is directly benefiting from your misfortune. Say what you will, but you are getting paid more and raking it in on stocks because they got fired.
As an outsider now, most Honeywell coworkers I was friends with over the years don’t want anything to do with me. I’m a disease who doesn’t deserve a phone call back. So... if appears to be a two way street on this one.
Its all regarded as temp work now - most are just drifters passing through, and have no more interest in forming attachments than they would while staying at a cheap roadside motel.
"Fortunately" there was no place within a reasonable drive of the office to congregate after work so I never got to develop many relationships that I miss. And as time went on, "after work" got later and later and I needed that time to get ready for the next workday. HW in my rear-view mirror is a good thing.
Same here. Many friends hurt and lost over the years. 26 years at honeywell and i no longer have a single honeywellers personal phone number. I do have many former honeyweller numbers who are very successful in their careers elsewhere. Microsoft, blue origin, spacex, amazon, l3, crane, ge, google, sap, tableau, more recently general mills, raytheon, lockheed, lear, boeing, too many to list, hundreds. All screwed by honeywell and welcomed by industry. Next job already lined up at 25 percent higher pay. Bit longer commute. Best day ever at honeywell will be my upcoming acceptance of voluntary rif.
It’s a sad fact but true. I learned early on not to get too close to any fellow HON employees. The chances are pretty great that one of the two parties will be let go and the emotional toil is not worth the price.
A Band of Brotherscwevare not, more like Holocaust survivors. We just want to fade away and restart fresh.
A sad commentary on Honeywell.
Remember, it is just a paycheck.
I've experieced the same. Many close friends, like family almost. Everything changes. In one instance one of my best friends was laid off, then months later was rehired. I was so happy for him and his family. But we still lost connection. He held on to that resentment for some reason. I can only respect them and give them their space.
They were never your friends. They were only associates. No matter how much they hung out with you after work, they were just there for convenience and consistency.