It's a very stressful time. I'm all for consultation, but a long drawn out process is very unsettling and upsetting. Then there's the impact on the ones that remain after the cuts are made - "survivor syndrome" - guilt, resentment, and worry in case there's a second swathe.
I've also noticed that many (larger) companies are taking the opportunity to 'restructure' on the back of the recession even if they're still making a healthy profit. Not on.
I agree with all of this, especially the survivor guilt and profitable companies taking advantage of the current situation.
I'm an accountant. I've specialised in trouble-shooting and rescue since the mid-90's. I actually down-graded to get away from it and the stress, but circumstances being what they are, my "normal regular company accountant role" is once again "how to keep us afloat in the current situation" - I am the safest person within the group as far as jobs go, and despite my newer car bought earlier this month is due to the old one being "over the hill" for the driving I do, rather than any status symbol, I still feel a bit guilty re my neighbours. Due to the nature of my specialty I've never had job security - if i can't rescue/save the company, I'm out of a job along with everyone else. Being in position at the start of a problem is a new situation for me, I'm usually the last resort before liquidators. From a professional attitude, this is an advantage - I already know the business rather than I have to learn how the business works and its market super-fast, but from a personal perspective it's much worse. I've made people redundant, and fired people before - it's not nice, but when a company is minutes away from closure, losing a few people, some of whom are simply detrimental to the rescue, is the price you pay for saving everyone else's job in saving the company.
Whilst previously in my career I was the "new girl" who turned up and promptly turned everyone's job inside out and upside down but the more business-aware recognised the real situation, I'm now "that person from x-entity" who is suddenly interfering with y and z entity (from y and z's perspective). I'm the safest person in the group making decisions about other people's jobs and I hate it.
I know these people and their circumstances, and we've offered very good "voluntary" redundancy or career-break terms. I've silently prayed for certain people to take it but they didn't. I only have to recommend who stays and goes, it's not my name on the final call, but realistically, it's my judgment/call that will be the end result.
I'm not putting down all those who are being or have been made redundant, and I'm certainly not defending those who are making profit and still using the current situation to force employees into worsened employment terms but from my side of the fence, it's horrible and when there's a genuine need for cost-cutting, it would be really beneficial if people would recognise a good deal when they see one and take it rather than having someone take their job away from them.
It seems to me (and I accept it's a minority position) that when staffing cuts are a reality to save the business as a whole rather than preference, people rarely see beyond their own job - understandably. I've only dared to admit this here because VP has recognised (s)he's better off with the redundancy package offered.
I know, and don't underestimate that my job impacts other people's lives massively whilst I don't have anywhere near the worry that my job is next to go. I've made friends redundant when they had children and just before Xmas - it's not a good place to be. I'm not asking or expecting sympathy (more a flaming to be honest) but I have always operated on the basis (professionally) that if people understand why you're asking what you're asking or why you're doing what you're doing, it's easier for them to accept. For everybody out there worrying about whether they've got a job next month, or those who have been made redundant, I don't ask you to sympathise with the decision maker, just recognise that in a lot of cases, it's simply a matter of sacrificing the 10% to save the company (100%) and however shit it feels, it isn't personal... unless you've been an antagonistic to changes and then, well you're top of the list because saving the company 90% staff is way more important than you trying to be a hero "standing up for your rights" re whether you'll answer the phones or not!
Sorry VP for hijacking your thread, it's probably not a good idea I admitted what I do, but I genuinely think if people who are made redundant understood the rationale behind it, they'd probably find it less of a personal "dismissing" than it really is.
My mother says she'll never step in another branch again 
