Transition

Transition Assignment Phase I                 17 May 10

Describe a significant change that is taking place or is about to take place in your agency.
Well, it appears that my agency was “selected” to close by Our Kids without any warning or previous notice and the employees have not been “officially” informed.
What is this change that concerns you? Losing a job unexpectedly is very hard when you have a family to provide for. Although the economy is rough at the moment, the social service field is “booming”, so it is hard to accept the agency is closing but we have not been told formally.

Who is losing what and how do you anticipate your colleagues will respond to this change?
My colleagues are also surprised at the manner in which things are being not done to face the closing. Everyone is responding differently based on their age, phase in their life, family responsibilities and other factors. Most of us are working very hard but with a sour taste in our mouths because no matter how hard we worked for many years and our performance have been good and better than some of the other agencies we have been targeted to close. Others may just quit, because they see that the agency do not care about the employees why should they care, and the rest would probably stay until the end, including myself. There is an environment of sadness; sorrow like someone has died when I walk around in the office. The management is detached from the situation, not wanting to deal with what is happening, and they are not reaching out to the employees. Our Kids is doing the same as our agency or worst. I would like to know what is the plan, but as of know everyone in the agency knows that the plan is that there is no plan.
It worries me that my family and I would not have health insurance and losing the ability of providing for them, as I also have parents and in-laws I support financially. Cobra insurance is not an option as it is too expensive.

What stage are people in the...