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After nearly thirty years of doing what I believe has been a really respectable job in my career at the same place under the same management, all the people above me either passed away, retired, quit, or were fired (a changing of the guard), and new supervision with new tactics has moved in the year before my own retirement. We've gone from being honored as trusted, responsible adult professionals to being micromanaged like a bunch of unruly children or wage slaves punching a clock in a widget factory, and I'm having a hard time dealing with it. I find I'm very resentful of being watched and monitored as if I'm not capable of disciplining myself (I am), my suggestions and input are neither sought nor welcome (although the management is new to my job and I'm not), I feel demeaned and disrespected daily, and -- because I am so close to leaving (in fact, I could leave now, but it would be to my financial advantage to stay a bit longer) -- I'm having a hard time keeping my displeasure to myself. It's so disappointing to end on this note!
Honestly, I wonder if I would even get a good (part-time retirement) job reference from them now after all these years of success.
Maybe this is just a rant, or maybe someone's also been through this and has some words of advice or at least consolation.
After nearly thirty years of doing what I believe has been a really respectable job in my career at the same place under the same management, all the people above me either passed away, retired, quit, or were fired (a changing of the guard), and new supervision with new tactics has moved in the year before my own retirement. We've gone from being honored as trusted, responsible adult professionals to being micromanaged like a bunch of unruly children or wage slaves punching a clock in a widget factory, and I'm having a hard time dealing with it. I find I'm very resentful of being watched and monitored as if I'm not capable of disciplining myself (I am), my suggestions and input are neither sought nor welcome (although the management is new to my job and I'm not), I feel demeaned and disrespected daily, and -- because I am so close to leaving (in fact, I could leave now, but it would be to my financial advantage to stay a bit longer) -- I'm having a hard time keeping my displeasure to myself. It's so disappointing to end on this note!
Honestly, I wonder if I would even get a good (part-time retirement) job reference from them now after all these years of success.
Maybe this is just a rant, or maybe someone's also been through this and has some words of advice or at least consolation.
It's worth noting that people were fired and there was "a changing of the guard."
Someone noticed something that wasn't working well, apparently, and made a change, so it makes sense that they are giving extra scrutiny.
If you are indeed performing your job well and honorably, just continue on your way toward retirement without concern. Don't let your ego make it worse. You are SO close!
I'm not near retirement, but I have been through this a number of times. I've worked for five different companies, and three of them have had major re-orgs while I was there.
My take on it is that new management doesn't trust the team it has inherited. They have a couple options. They can allow the team members to build trust with them over time. Or they could refuse that option altogether and force you out (as it seems the might be doing to you and your team).
Often times, new management comes in to shake things up. Whether you are a good or bad employee, their prime initiative is to clean house and eradicate legacy team members because of the perceived ineffectiveness of the department as a whole. I started at my current job two years ago. Within a few weeks, a major re-org happened, and my hiring manager was let go.
It has been downhill for our team since then. Between the ineptitude and cronyism, our department has been extremely neglected. My co-worker and I have essentially been carrying the majority of the workload. None of it matters though. We're on our sixth management change in two years after my director stepped down. The new manager that was put in place by a C-level exec has essentially had it out for us since day one. I think their objective is to force us out (even though we're still relatively new with the company) and bring in their own people.
Welcome to modern day Corporate America, where companies have become social clubs that have been hi-jacked for the betterment of the select few who've taken control of them. And with all the re-orgs and shuffling of organizations that occur these days, this toxic culture will just become more and more normalized. They wonder why people are so jaded and cynical. This is why. Your hard work and dedication mean nothing to them.
That IS what's happening, but I seem helpless to stop it. Especially because my new immediate supervisor is my former colleague and friend, so I feel somewhat freer to voice my displeasure, although I probably shouldn't. :O
"My take on it is that new management doesn't trust the team it has inherited."
Spot on; it's clear they coddle their own malleable new hires and can't wait for us "old people" to retire and get out of their way. In fact, given the current atmosphere, if I weren't retiring, I'd be looking around for a new job. It's that bad.
That IS what's happening, but I seem helpless to stop it. Especially because my new immediate supervisor is my former colleague and friend, so I feel somewhat freer to voice my displeasure, although I probably shouldn't. :O
It is difficult. Try very hard not to vent to the supervisor. Maybe you can enforce your own new personal set of rules to abide by in the office since your relationship has to have changed.
It's not safe for YOU to continue to treat your supervisor the way you did before. It's a new world there, so try to keep focused on that retirement day and let the rest slide. Don't let them make it personal.
"My take on it is that new management doesn't trust the team it has inherited."
Spot on; it's clear they coddle their own malleable new hires and can't wait for us "old people" to retire and get out of their way. In fact, given the current atmosphere, if I weren't retiring, I'd be looking around for a new job. It's that bad.
That's exactly how we've been made to feel, and we're not even old-timers or long tenured. It puts your career at a major disadvantage, because these types of changes happen so frequently these days, and you're always being placed under new management where there is no guarantee they even want you.
I envy that you are so close to retirement though. That alone should be reassuring. I still have another 40 years of this drama to put up with.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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You are actually very lucky to have gone nearly 30 years before this happened. In the last 9 years I have seen 3 different CEOs, most of the department heads have changed, and the board has completely changed over that time. While in our case the changes have not resulted in the kind of grief you are experiencing, we do get pulled or pushed in different directions every time a big change is made. If the additional years of work are that important to your retirement financially, hang in there, and don' try to fight it. In fact they could be trying to make it uncomfortable to drive away older workers intentionally.
"If the additional years of work are that important to your retirement financially, hang in there, and don' try to fight it. "
I'll be in an ideal position to leave in just a matter of months and plan to at that time so, yes, you would think I could keep my mouth shut for that long. It's just that I resent having my respectable reputation and excellent record threatened at this point in the game. I didn't realize that such "shakeups" were so common, as things have always flowed smoothly here. But I guess I have been lucky...
"If the additional years of work are that important to your retirement financially, hang in there, and don' try to fight it. "
I'll be in an ideal position to leave in just a matter of months and plan to at that time so, yes, you would think I could keep my mouth shut for that long. It's just that I resent having my respectable reputation and excellent record threatened at this point in the game. I didn't realize that such "shakeups" were so common, as things have always flowed smoothly here. But I guess I have been lucky...
is it better to be "right" or "liked"? Something we all have to decide for ourselves. There is a saying on CD: SMH. Sometimes that is all you can do. Good luck on your retirement!
"is it better to be 'right' or 'liked'? Something we all have to decide for ourselves."
I'm not sure what point you're trying to make there. But the idea that this "tightening of the screws" could be a deliberate attempt to drive out those of us who are what's left of the old order strikes home with me and makes me want to defeat them by not letting the b*stards get to me. I will definitely have to reign in my comments with the FORMER friend, too.
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Try very hard not to vent to the supervisor. Maybe you can enforce your own new personal set of rules to abide by in the office since your relationship has to have changed.
