Fullscreen HTML5Med Res (??MB)HTML4

PUBLISHER'S LETTER Don’t take voluntary redundancy Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Leo Simpson, B.Bus., FAICD Production Manager Greg Swain, B.Sc.(Hons.) Technical Staff John Clarke, B.E.(Elec.) Robert Flynn Rick Walters Reader Services Ann Jenkinson Advertising Manager Brendon Sheridan Phone (03) 9720 9198 Mobile 0416 009 217 Regular Contributors Brendan Akhurst Rodney Champness Garry Cratt, VK2YBX Julian Edgar, Dip.T.(Sec.), B.Ed Mike Sheriff, B.Sc, VK2YFK Ross Tester Philip Watson, MIREE, VK2ZPW Bob Young SILICON CHIP is published 12 times a year by Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd. A.C.N. 003 205 490. All material copyright ©. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Printing: Macquarie Print, Dubbo, NSW. Distribution: Network Distribution Company. Subscription rates: $59 per year in Australia. For overseas rates, see the subscription page in this issue. Editorial & advertising offices: Postal address: PO Box 139, Collaroy Beach, NSW 2097. Phone (02) 9979 5644. Fax (02) 9979 6503. ISSN 1030-2662 and maximum * Recommended price only. 2  Silicon Chip It is a sad fact that in today’s leaner and meaner economy, many large commercial and government-run organisations are get­ting rid of their staff. The way that it is sold to the public and to the unions is that there “will be no compulsory layoffs” or that the reduction will come about by “natural wastage”. The people concerned then apply pressure to the staff they want to get rid of by offering what seem to be attractive redundancy packages. Many people take the money and run and unfortunately, they soon regret it. It is surprising, when I have been talking to technical people from universities and other public organisations, just how often this scenario has been mentioned recently. They will say that they have been offered an “attractive package” and that they are seriously considering it. Well, if you are in that situation I strongly advise you not to take it. Stay where you are and that applies particularly if you are over 45 years old with a long record of service in the one job. What inevitably happens, when somebody who is more than 45 years old takes a redundancy package, is that they immediately take a well-deserved holiday. They probably had this coming to them as long-service leave, anyway. Then, after a period of six or maybe even 12 months, the attraction of continuous leisure starts to pall and the money starts to run out. They hanker for the technical stimulation of the old job. But it is no longer available and so they start to apply for jobs. Several months later, reality dawns with a vengeance – there are virtually no permanent full-time jobs available for people 45 years or older. This is the nasty aspect of today’s so-called “lean and efficient” corporations. They don’t recognise the merits of someone who has been employed for all his life, has good practi­cal experience in a specialised technical field and importantly, wants to work for another 15 to 20 or more years. This is a sad but brutal fact. There is another factor which needs to be considered. If you are working in a fast moving technical area and you take redundancy, in two years time your lifetime experience could be regarded as “out of date”. That might mean that you will be regarded as even less employable. If you’re employed and secure, be happy. If you’re out looking for a job, particularly in a specialised field, you could find that your prospects are quite grim. So take some well-meant advice. Unless your retrenchment package is enough to allow you to permanently retire or you have another guaranteed position to take up, don’t take the money, if you can avoid it. Stay with the job and let the hierarchy get rid of somebody else. Who knows, in 12 months’ time when the retrenchments are complete, you may find that they are so short of staff that they are having to hire some people back on short-term contracts. You will be in demand, secure and happy that you have done the right thing for the long term. Your long service entitlements and superannuation will be intact. So even if your company or government organisation is short-sighted, you don’t have to be as well. Stick with the job and work as long as you can. It could be the last full-time job you will ever have. Leo Simpson