Hazardous Duty

By Mark Guillory

The United States is facing difficulties it has not experienced since the Great Depression of the 1930s; at least that is what the news tells us. Watching television it seems that job opportunities are vanishing by the minute.
It is true that the unemployment rate is up to 8.5 percent – the highest it has been since 1992 when it was 7.5 percent. This growing statistic seems to have a lot of out-of- work people concerned, but it also has some who are employed concerned.
Many people now feel trapped and obligated to a job they may not like out of fear of being unable to find another.
Not only does this seem to be the harsh reality for employees, it also seems to be an advantage for some employers. With a soaring unemployment rate, some businesses that seem recession proof may have too much power.    
The concern is that industries exempt from the massive job layoffs have started treating their employees more ruthlessly. Knowing that other companies are laying off their employees who will actively be looking for work, makes their present employees more expendable.
It is a topic that makes a lot of people uneasy. As many people who are employed now are walking around on egg shells. There will probably not be workers on television boycotting their wages any time soon now with the present economy.
One employee’s supervisor flat-out told him the railroad just had a huge layoff and those terminated employees will be looking for jobs.
This type of behavior from upper management is probably not helpful to a work environment and can be downright dangerous.
Demeaning people who are already worried about losing their jobs can cause an uneasy work environment.
Another employee tells the story of how a co-worker was released from his job and drove around in the parking lot for 30 minutes afterward. Other employees were scared to even go outside.
Companies have the right to hire and fire who they want, but sometimes the outcome can be dangerous, especially when handled the wrong way. So with a rising unemployment rate, businesses should remain as professional as possible.
A hostile work atmosphere lowers the morale of its employees, and this hurts production. Companies should always remember those employees who were loyal to them because the economy will rebound. Companies who mistreat good employees will stand a good chance of losing them when the economy gets better.