Job Stability

I'm not normally a fan of stability in the workplace. It makes people complacent. Instead of looking for stability, my tendency is to want to keep things changing. I get a sense of forward movement, although sometimes my need to keep things changing hasn't always served my best interests. As retirement approaches, I'm going to be fending for myself. It is exhausting and scary, but self-reliance is a good thing.

This past couple of months my company has had to lay off a number of people, some that have been there for more than 20 years, some in the same position for many years. I have never been in a position for more than 3 years and it is a wonder to me to see people who are satisfied with this type of stability. This is certainly not a judgment call on my part, because in the long run the people who have planned to retire by staying in one job for the duration are really smart. I'm sure there is nothing like knowing that a check will be coming in for the rest of one's life. But it is not for me. I will never rely on a company to control my destiny. It is tempting as I grow older, but in this day and time it is not realistic.

For those of you who are still living in the days of the gold watch after 25 years of service, I would say "wake up." Have a contingency plan and be prepared to use it. It is no longer the company's responsibility to make sure you leave the company having enough money to spend days on the golf course or relaxing on the front porch. Some of us have worked all of our lives and will probably be working past 80 if our health holds up. My company owes me my paycheck and I owe them a good day's work. That is as far as I plan to take it.

Lovey