Didn’t see that coming!

[12poundbass]

So today I get a call from my boss at noon letting me know to tell my team we have to meet at an address at 4 today for a company wide stand down. Our company is in 13 states I believe with around 700 employees. Why could this be about if it’s company wide? I get to the hotel a little early and what I saw in the parking lot made my heart sink as I instantly knew! 
 

I walk into the conference room and I see some familiar faces I hadn’t seen in years. I’m walking around with a deer in the headlights look. 
 

Our company has been sold to our competitor, which also happens to be the company I left 6 years ago because of the 6-7 days work weeks 70 plus hours a week. I still have a bitter taste in my mouth over that place. Talking with one of my former coworkers who’s a trainer there, he saw the look on my face he said it’s different there now, and to give it a chance. 
 

This company is the largest locating company in the United States and is very well established here in Michigan. I was set to be promoted in the next week or two, I’m not sure about that now. This whole thing has spun me right out and that doesn’t happen easily. 
 

Time will tell I guess. 
 

[Nelson Delaney]

Keep in mind there’s 10’s of millions job openings at the moment.  Give the old company a try & maybe start looking at the same time. 

[A-Jay]

Interesting  ~

Perhaps continue being the model employee,

doing everything that set you up for that potential promotion.

Then let the chips fall where they may.

Funny how life just takes a sharp turn like that.

Right out of nowhere.

It's all part of your story.

Good Luck & Stay Safe

A-Jay

 

[12poundbass]

Just now, A-Jay said:

Interesting  ~

Perhaps continue being the model employee,

doing everything that set you up for that potential promotion.

Then let the chips fall where they may.

Funny how life just takes a sharp turn like that.

Right out of nowhere.

It's all part of your story.

Good Luck & Stay Safe

A-Jay

 

The interesting thing is my boss and even the Deputy Director of locating for our company knew nothing about it until 8:30 this morning. Our customers knew nothing about it and some still might not know. My company is majority owned by one man, so everybody was completely blindsided by this! I’m not sure how I feel about the way the owner went about it. This transaction is in the 10’s of millions of dollars so maybe that’s how it goes when big money is being exchanged. 

7 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Perhaps continue being the model employee,

doing everything that set you up for that potential promotion.

There’s no question I’ll continue to lead my team to the best of my ability. I’m going to be cautiously optimistic, and hope for the best, I’m still trying to process this situation. 

[ATA]

8 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

The interesting thing is my boss and even the Deputy Director of locating for our company knew nothing about it until 8:30 this morning. Our customers knew nothing about it and some still might not know. My company is majority owned by one man, so everybody was completely blindsided by this! I’m not sure how I feel about the way the owner went about it. This transaction is in the 10’s of millions of dollars so maybe that’s how it goes when big money is being exchanged. 

that was so unprofessional of them that they did it that way, But honestly I think they were force to do that and make that sudden change.

Ive seen similar thing in some frieght airliner 10 years ago, But that time I was a contractor with them and just a normal day in airport waiting for plane to land and after it landed we  saw the double (merged logo), Huh? did we merged? Haha... yes it is tough. Anyways that company file bankruptcy short after and it lead me toward another projects with another company. 

[A-Jay]

9 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

The interesting thing is my boss and even the Deputy Director of locating for our company knew nothing about it until 8:30 this morning. Our customers knew nothing about it and some still might not know. My company is majority owned by one man, so everybody was completely blindsided by this! I’m not sure how I feel about the way the owner went about it. This transaction is in the 10’s of millions of dollars so maybe that’s how it goes when big money is being exchanged. 

There’s no question I’ll continue to lead my team to the best of my ability. I’m going to be cautiously optimistic, and hope for the best, I’m still trying to process this situation. 

When it's well above our paygrade, we never have the whole story.

But we're not meant to.

The how, why, when & where of a deal like this is for someone else to worry about,

your marching orders haven't changed.

Like water off a duck's back my friend.

A-Jay

 

 

[Junger]

Get your resume ready just in case you’re unhappy, or you get down sized, which is usually the inevitable in these situations.

[Skunkmaster-k]

Life threw you quite a curveball . I hope your former coworker is right. 

[12poundbass]

75% of my team is made up of former employees of this company. They all left for the same reason, so I’m not the only one. 
 

Here’s the real kicker, our newest employee just left that company two weeks ago. He was pale as a ghost when I told him outside what was going on. 

[slonezp]

Maybe your coworker was right and things have changed. Maybe the promotion is still going to happen. Maybe you'll hate every second with the new ownership. Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

[Posty]

You are a utility locator? I own a locating company with offices in California, Nevada and soon Arizona and we are looking to expand into additional markets and looking for folks with experience that hate the way GPRS, Utiliquest and similar have treated them (we have a few ex-GPRS folks on our team). If you are interested in exploring a possible opportunity send me a direct message and let's chat! 

[Deleted account]

It is seldom the case that the employee friendly, folks love to work there, we're all like family companies swallow the evil empires. That being said, change is inevitable, and often leads to unforeseen positive opportunities. Best of luck to you and your colleagues. Go in there with eyes wide open, a positive attitude, and whatever it is it is. You sound like a good employee, and great boss. Go get 'em!

[Tennessee Boy]

Hope everything works out for you.  This kind of stuff can be troubling.

[Jaderose]

I don't know how old you are but I've been in industry for quite awhile now and have gone through a few scenarios like this.  Never...not once...has it turned out WORSE for me.  Here's why...1.)  Be flexible and being flexible includes being ready to leave. Being ready to leave means being ready to move, if necessary.  2.)  Your loyalty is to yourself and your family, ONLY!  Do what's right for you and your family.  You can't save co-workers and you are a "meat slab of labor" to the employer.  They may SAY the right things, but they will cut you in a heartbeat if it suits their needs.  3.)  Be DAAAAAMN good at what you do and make sure everyone knows it.  Including any future employers.  4.)  Continue to do your job well, better now even.  4.) Keep emotional reactions out of things.  Anticipate the best while planning for the worst.  5.)  If necessary...LEAVE.  I spent way too many years doing work I love for a company I HATED.  I made a promise to myself many decades ago that I would never allow myself to remain in a work situation I hated.  This actually applies to life in general, too.  About 20 years ago, I completely walked away from the life I had.  I hated my job, my 1st wife, etc.  I quit the job, divorced the wife ( kept the kids...love my daughters  ) and started over.  Took my daughters with me as a single Dad.  Best move I ever made and a LOT of people thought I was nuts.  I didn't listen to them.  I went with and learned to trust my gut.  Without getting all spiritual, I figured this was the life I have and I'm not gonna waste it giving my all to people that do not appreciate it or even care.  

Moral of the story?  Prepare for change and if you gotta make some?  Do it decisively and without regrets.  Does it take "testicular fortitude"?  Yep.

 

ps....Same time I quit the job and marriage, I also got sober.  I made ALL the changes at once.  It was rough for awhile but I lived and it made me basically fearless.

[Jigfishn10]

Oh man, you're basically back to the same company where you started? Irony is certainly not lost here. 

Some good advice given here and I can't really add to it other than the fact that leaving and "going back" to the same company - I know you didn't go back - usually doesn't work out. In your case it may be different because they're taking over territory and need the labor infrastructure in place to maintain that territory. 

Just put your head down and do what you do best.

I hope you get that promotion you deserve. I'm sure the timing may lag a bit, but good things usually happen to good people.

Good luck man.

[BassNJake]

I wish you the best of luck!!

Like with fishing sometimes the conditions dictate you if you make a move or not.

 

My company got sold in June and they said since we got bought out by an investment firm looking to expand their portfolio, everything would stay the same.

 

Oct 29th they let us know they were closing the Knoxville office Dec 6th and we could work from home until the end of the year and possibly a few months longer, depending on your role. Although my 11 years there seemed like a long time, some people were there over 20. 

 

The super crappy part is we have 5-6 people that are 59-60, so they gotta find new jobs right before they try to retire. 

[12poundbass]

Thank you all for the kind words, encouragement, and advice! It’s greatly appreciated. 
 

I met with my boss today to go over the info he knows and to develop a game plan going forward. For now it sounds like it’s business as usual, and will remain that way for the next few months and while we’ll be under a new name our operation in my area will be a separate entity until everything gets ironed out. This is great news for my team.