I've been in a management position for a little more than 3 years now. One year at my previous employer and two here. Back in CA I was promoted just as the housing market crashed. Before I 'took office', they had just gone through at least 2 rounds of layoff, cutting their production force down from about 150 to 75 or so. During the year I was production manager, we went through 2 more rounds. When I left, there were around 30 production employees. So within 1.5 years, they dropped from 150 to 30 production employees. An 80% decrease.
When I started at my current job, I had 24 direct production employees, 1 yardman, 4 delivery drivers, a production foreman, and a delivery foreman. Right now, I have 10 direct, 4 drivers/yardmen, a production foreman and no delivery foreman. A 50% decrease.
I have no major aspirations for running a huge production facility. If I can't do a good job with the 15 guys I have now, how in the world would I do a good job with a lot more? Of course, I think it would be a lot easier to do a good job if we had enough work to go around....but apparently that's not going to happen right now.
Here's an old shot of the plant. All those boxes in the foreground aren't there anymore.
I would have no idea how to lay people off. That sucks.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you had to do that, it must've been very difficult.
ReplyDeleteThat must be one of the hardest things about management. I hope things get better in your industry, Ken.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's tough on both ends of that stick. Ironically, a family member dealt with the "other" end just today.
ReplyDeleteTimes are tough, but every person has a job to do, and an added job: to do it well. You gotta do what ya gotta do.