Mar

11

Working more, making less

Posted by Dan

March 11, 2009 |

Now that the nation’s unemployment rate has soared to more than 8 percent, who’s doing the work of all those people who’ve been fired or laid off?

If you still have a job, the unfortunate answer is “you.”

Those people lucky enough to still have their jobs are now working harder than ever, picking up the slack for their fired former comrades. And you can bet that the vast majority of these people taking on extra work aren’t getting raises at the same time. Most folks consider themselves lucky to still have a job; They certainly aren’t going to press their luck by asking for a raise.

I don’t want my readers to feel sorry for me — OK, maybe I do, just a bit — but I’m in the working-harder-for-no-additional-money boat myself. The publishing company where I work fired nine people last month. Since then, three writers have been responsible for getting out three trade magazines, updating the company Web site, sending out e-mail blasts and putting together an outside newsletter. It’s kind of a drag. And, of course, I’m not complaining to my bosses about this for one reason: I really want to keep my job.

What’s the solution? I’m not sure there is one. These days it’s all about making it through the recession alive, and employed. My only worry? My bosses will see that we’re able — barely — to get all this work done with a skeleton staff. This might encourage them to keep the staff just as skeletal once the recession ends.


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