It is rough out there.

In these times of economic uncertainty my heart goes out to all of us affected by this onslaught of layoffs. I am not a CEO nor will I probably ever be, but I do believe that we need to maximize all other options in regard to fiscal frugality before we knock on the door of our neighbor (as seen below)

When we still have CEO's of any company flying around in private jets, we have a disconnect and that is a real problem. Do not change because your public relations people see the problem, but rather because you see it.

I read an article that suggested in 2008 the corporate buzzword was sustainability. The article went on to examine how telling that word would be in 2009. Sustainability will now reference just trying to stay in business, just trying to keep the doors open. I understand that, and I understand we must all do what we can to weather this perfect storm. Individual accountability to our familes and ourselves with an eye on how we can maintain our own economic steadfastness in this recession. How do we make a difference in our own household? How can we spend and save money more wisely ? (This is something we need to explain to our younger generation as well-and lead by example)

That being said I firmly believe companies big and small need to really look long and hard before making the below calls. If I was a CEO I would make damn sure I looked in that mirror, and every manager looked in that mirror, and every employee looked in that mirror BEFORE I looked into the eyes of an employee and took his or her job. Did you/we honestly do everything to cut overhead and costs before cutting jobs? We are not going to get this country back on track without working hard and making sacrifices-understood, but I have always looked at massive layoffs like firing the missile from 3,000 miles away. Its just a little too easy.



AT&T has announced plans to cut 12,000 jobs, which is about 4 percent of its work force. The country's largest telecommunications company says the job cuts will take place in December and throughout next year.
Ballys Total Fitness just filed for chapter 11. again. This is the second time in 2 years they have filed for chapter 11 bk protection.
Chemicals maker DuPont has also revealed that they will be eliminating 2,500 positions before the end of the year.
About 850 people are being fired within MTV networks (MTV, VH1, CMT, BMT, Nickelodeon, etc). Viacom Inc. said today they plan to fire people and freeze some senior-level raises in a move to weather the global economic downturn.
NBC Universal will be cutting up to 500 jobs in a round of layoffs which are now underway at all levels of the company — television, film and parks. That amounts to about 3% of the workforce. An insider with knowledge of the situation says the cuts are expected to continue into next week.
The NBC News bureaus in Dallas and Los Angeles (Burbank) are already experiencing cuts, with the insider saying Dallas will experience more layoffs than in Burbank.