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From the Examiner:


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Most large companies these days do not look at employees as people. HR folks try to distance themselves, lest they get "too close" to someone for fear of showing favoritism. Management folks try to distance themselves, just in case they ever have to let someone go.

The average length of tenure on a job is just a shade over 2 years. That means for every person that holds a job 30 years, there are at least 12 other jobs that were held for a year or less. Of course, a lot more goes into this calculation than 30-year jobs, or 1-year jobs. Still, the point is the same, tenure is not increasing.

Given these facts, it is easy to see why larger corporations give off the feeling of impersonality. If you work for one of these companies, you know the feeling. A well-balanced employee does not hold this against a company, they use it to their advantage.

Let's look at things another way: suppose you have a pen. This pen is nothing special, it is simply a writing instrument. You got it free, and it is a name brand. It writes for a while, but then it either runs out of ink, or suffers mechanical failure, or otherwise just stops working. At that point, there's nobody reading that would think twice about throwing the pen out and switching to a new one that works correctly. A tool that is not capable of performing its purpose is replaced.

Same goes for a job.

If a company is not serving the intended purpose, replace it. Rest assured that they will replace you (or lay you off, outright) if they feel so inclined. Do not take it personally, just understand the nature of your relationship - it is just business. It is ONLY business. The only one who brings emotion to the table is the employee.

The author is not suggesting the reader disconnect from all emotion - that is unhealthy. Instead, disconnect your emotions from your place of employment when it comes time to change places of employment. The company surely will not feel bad if they lay you off or fire you.

Again, it bears repeating:

If a company is not serving its intended purpose, replace it!

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