Wednesday, November 27, 2013

A Happy Thankgiving(?) present from the company: Uncertainty stinks

Yesterday we got called in to an emergency town hall meeting a work. Thermo Fisher is in the process of acquiring Life Technologies. The European regulators decided that would make too large a company, and have required the company to divest itself of one particular business line.

That line is roughly 1/2 to 2/3 of what we do here in Logan. I.E. they are going to sell off half of our business unit.

what does that mean? We don't know. Most likely a new company will take ownership of that business and continue to operate it, and everyone will continue to have jobs, get paid, etc..., just half of us will now work for a different company. Probably a competitor. But we won't know until the buyer is selected, and the transaction is completed.

For some of us, it is less certain. Working Information Technology, I cover both sides of the business, so what will happen to me? Which side will end up taking me? Or, since these two business units, belonging to two different corporations - are now half the size they were, will neither side choose to keep me? Or will this be my opportunity to "pursue other interests" (That's what they call it when they kick you out the door).

I hate uncertainty. I hate not knowing what things are going to look like tomorrow, next week, next month, next year.

That's life though. Nothing is certain. And we have more warning than you typically get from... say... a Tornado, or Hurricane, or an Earthquake. And with a higher probability of a positive (or at least a non-negative) outcome. Who knows, maybe this is my opportunity to change my career to Computer or Software engineering (Aligned to my degree). Or maybe this is my chance to keep doing what I'm doing, only slightly less, so I can actually take my days off every year. Or... Who knows... Indeed...

Uncertainty...

Bleh....

Happy Thanksgiving.


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