We have all heard of people losing their job for something they have said in an e-mail sent out from their company. But what happens when AOL lays off 5000 people because they want to give away free e-mail? All those people are being laid off because of e-mail too. Sometimes beeng laid off may not be all that bad and if you work at some companies it is actually a blessing in disguise, as it provides new opportunities and a chance to work in a real company, with upward mobility and better benefits. Are the people at AOL upset because they are all been laid off? Of course they are but the shareholders and stockholders are demanding it because AOL is not making any money and the investors wish to see a profit. Where will 5000 workers go? Well, consider this right now the unemployment rate is only 4.8% and getting a job around Washington, DC is quite easy, as everyone is hiring. Imagine if all these workers got laid off three years from now when the economy was down in the dumps and unemployment was high? This does not mean they will not go to a new company and be laid off from there to, but it is better to be laid off in an up cycle economy than a downturn. It is amazing that AOL announced free e-mails to the world and in the same breath announced 5000 people get the ax, but nevertheless that is how the world works. Please consider all this in 2006. |
