Uniform Pay cuts OR Lay Offs ??!!

Since my boss never fails to make me realize constantly that im an “under paid, over worked labour” and the nature of my job never fails to make me realize that most of the companies want to hire employees to fit into this “quote”. I am bound to question the nature of hiring in these turbulent (RECESSION) times.
U would differ n ask “Hiring” in this season… ???? n I would yes boss.. MASS HIRNG this season, cheap resources off the shelf !!! At the mercy of the foolish recruiters and more foolish company management.
(These are personalized comments, totally based on my… should I say it ? Lets say it anyway… crappy yet learning experiences in my current company.)

So the question asked in one of the chat shows on radio, which I was subjected to hear by default, since I commute through the new “AC” cab of my office, whose movement I need to monitor at work too(why lord why).
The Cabbie is obsessed with radio and will put all the stations when they aint playing any music. So in one of these cab “home drop” trips I encountered the question, around which the discussion was originally intended to be.
Theeee vicious brain teaser “Uniform Paycuts OR Firing??!!”
Hmm… good question… the RJ required a plain black n white answer to this unrealistic question, also to the extent of getting pissed if some listener gave a midway answer or a gray answer.
Strange.. The freedom, liberty OR should I say “creative license” these RJs practice on various shows I have heard on delhi stations.

Coming back to the question…
Argument in favor of No Uniform Paycuts is that why a “good performer” should pay for “lower performers” Valid Argument.. Since we all work our arse off in corporate world, just plain n simple – FOR US !!
Its as simple as that.
But the argument in favor of No Lay offs is that companies, management, ‘managers’ specifically take an undue advantage of the situation called “. Employees are taken for grant and are laid off may be for all the wrong reasons like- not sucking up to the boss, not being popular among the right crowd, or may be worse for being a straightforward blunt guy. In many firms it is internally observed that yes… layoffs have got nothing to do with your work performance, its all gotta do with your suck up performance to the senior management.

The truth being.. that a lot of things happen in the top/ toppest management of every organization, may it be large or mid size.. which is beyond the principles of “humanity” or “humility”. Employees are treated like replaceable furniture and whenever the management feel like a renovation … they can try all the tools to renovate their resource pool. Tools may be either “Lay off” OR “salary cut” as they both are going to result in high number of attrition!!! and the renovation automatically is taken care off.
There is no black and white answer to this question, in the first place why does a mere employee suffer in these recession times? Nobody anyway didn’t consider him when a wrong businees deal was being made, Nobody anyway didn’t consider him when top managers were given 100% hikes! Nobody anyway didn’t consider him when the company spent on all the things it shouldn’t have spend on.


The simple solutions, all the paycutts/ slashes on the topper management, mid level employees should be given enough notice (with due salary)to search for jobs (if in case there is no job at all for them) before they are laid off. Uniform salary cutts, not a total yes from my end as it doesn’t solve the problem only creates more distrust and disgust in the employees once who were important but they are just expensive old wooden furniture ready to be replaced by new cheap fiber furniture.

Song recommended: "Money" by Pink Floyd, The dark side of the moon (1973)