R stands for.

“Do you think you will stay for 10 years here?”, she asked.
“Let’s just aim for 5 first.”, I cheekily replied.

As I type this post, I’m still in the midst of processing the recent retrenchment exercise in my company. Thankfully, I wasn’t affected. However, one of my closest colleague did get the axe. She has been in the company for close to 12 years which is a very long time tbh. She vaguely asked me if I would be staying in the company for 10 years during our DnD. Well, that certainly did not age well.

Truth to be told this is probably my second experience with retrenchments in the company I was working in. The last time I got so angry I scolded my ex-boss for being so cruel.

Fast forward a few years later, now I’m a little older I can understand his plight in one way or another. Undoubtedly, his approach was more brutal so I think I would have still done the same. This time though, the affected parties were given a severance package in the form of a cheque and they were asked to leave on that day itself ie. their last day of work was literally last Thursday, no notice period or anything which was…rough.

When my boss told me that the company has been laying off people over the past few months and our colleague got the axe, I was beyond words. I know for a fact that her salary was not even high to begin with so it really boogles my mind why they decided it was her time to go.

Nevertheless, I was more composed this time and I offered her my bubble tea to console her. She shared that she was brought into a room with all the HR and HOD where they walked her through the compensation and made her sign the agreement before she was directed into another room with the work union crew.

In that room, they gave her an envelope containing $10 transport allowance for her to use to go home and also an IKEA bag to gather her belongings as she packs her stuffs to bring home. On the surface level, she was collected but I think things really got real the next few days when she didn’t have to go to work anymore. Another one of my colleagues in my team was also given the axe and he was so shocked. He didn’t even say goodbye and he just…left. He did explain himself a few days later about his thoughts before exiting the chat.

If you asked me if I’m sad, I think at some level…I do feel sad. But life doesn’t stop there right, you just collect yourself and move on.

It’s sad that we won’t be able to see them everyday like we use to but outside of work, I still play mahjong with her so that’s not too bad. Honestly, goodbyes are hard so I try my best to make the most of the present everyday. You never know what will happen.

I didn’t predict that this would happen but I actually gave them all my Christmas presents in advance which is really good timing for some reason. Istg I had no idea they were going to leave though. When I took the selfie of us at DnD, I didn’t know that would be the last time the 3 of us would be together at a company event either. Everything happens for a reason and be it for the better or worst, we had the time of our lives working together for sure and that’s all that matters.

So that’s one of the heaviest weeks in this year I had to get through this year. Thought I could end the year on a good note but things doesn’t always work out the way we want to right?

Like I said, “It’s not goodbye but see you again :)”. Nevertheless, it was still a good year in general, I did get promoted after…3 years? Pros? 21 days of leave let’s go!!

Oh, the company will be restructuring next year too so I might not be reporting to the same bosses which will be a pity but we shall see. I will be quite busy baking for CNY and the upcoming trip to Korea with the missus. Back to the grind I guess.

Until the next,

D