This is just something I’ve been thinking about. Suppose you work for a company and they tell you that you are going to be canned, that you have two weeks (or a month).
They then bring in a new hire for you to train.
Would you do it?
Has this ever happened to anyone?
I was thinking about it this morning and I’m not sure that it could happen to someone; when you are being fired, it’s generally that day that you leave. If you are being layed off, then they wouldn’t have someone to replace you as they couldn’t afford you to begin with.
I’ve known people that have been through that. Mostly they’ve been the very consientious type who did their best to make sure the new person was properly trained.
A similar thing that happened to me was when I was not only turned down for a promotion but told by a manager I would probably never get it. Then I had to train the person that was hired from outside the company for that job. That pissed me off to no end.
I was the new hire in a situation like that. It was extremely awkward because she had only mentioned that she was planning on moving to Texas (like, in a year or so) and they told her she had to leave and hired me. So I went through the training, but it was one of the worst jobs I’ve ever had and I left after 3 months. I felt kind of bad about that.
Not training, but my first job out of grad school was a one-year teaching position which was converted to tenure-track at the end of the year. Because of the conversion they opened up a new search. So not only did I have to interview again for the same job, they also had all the finalists do their demonstration class with my classes. I lost out to a person with more seniority who just wanted to move closer to where her husband worked.
(It worked out okay, though, because the dept. chair proposed me for the position she had suddenly abandoned and I got hired.)
It is nearly a moot point, as now almost every company will escort you out the door once you are given notice. Even if that means they have to pay you for a few weeks without your doing anything.
It would depend on the circumstances for me. If the firing were warranted (like I had violated company policy) and they were nice enough to give me 2 weeks or a month to find another job – I’d probably be inclined to train the new hire well in return for a good job reference. If, however; I were being fired because I was a “fatass” (yep – last job, that was his exact reason said to me personally and to 3 other employees. no, I didn’t sue. yes, I know I should have) then, I would train the person completely wrong. I don’t mean just half-assed, but I would show them how to delete files to keep from cluttering the system, how to transfer calls using the BOFH method, that petty cash is kept for them to use for lunches – since the company always provides lunch, that kind of thing
I actually was in a position once where the management knew they couldn’t afford me. I was told to hire an assistant and train them as a “back-up” and that once the assistant was fully trained, I would get a $10K/year raise. :dubious: I hired the assistant, trained her well and was “laid off.” I found out later that the girl had been told from the get-go (by my boss) that she was my replacement. At the time, she was my “best friend.” Funny enough, they decided to hire from outside the company to replace me when they realised that although I could train her to do the mundane parts of my job, she had no brain and could not do the other stuff, like reminding the boss of appointments, scheduling effectively, keeping customers happy, etc. She still works there, but is no longer in my life. With friends like that, who needs enemas?
Not in my company. In fact, when a project shut down a few years ago, the people on it were given the opportunity to interview for openings in other parts of the company in a job fair kind of environment. I spent two weeks going through resumes and interviewing people, but it was the furthest thing from getting booted. At my last company people going to work for a competitor got escorted out immediately, but not others. (I got my full two weeks when Ieft. ) It is becoming common practice for people who are leaving to not tell where they are going, but they still get to stay.
Getting fired for cause is another matter entirely.
Yes, I was being let go due to several projects being cancelled. The one that was left did not provide full-time hours so Management gave me 4 weeks notice to find another job and to train someone to take over the programs I was still responsible for. I was a SW engineer.
I thought the company could simply use Me somewhere else and was really pissed. So I did a poor job training the new guy. A week after I left he called me at home to ask some technical questions. I sent him a price sheet and quotes for using me as a help desk. The company thought this was a good idea and used me 10-15 hours a week as a consultant at more than double the rate I had been getting plus I had already found another position with a hefty raise. I might have been an asshat but I did get a bigger house.
A friend of mine worked at a tech help desk. The company decided to outsource all the jobs overseas. He could either leave at the end of the month, with a severence package, or he could stick around for about a month and train the new overseas employees, with a bonus for staying. He stayed, while he job hunted.
We have had huge examples in Michigan. When the outsourcing started ,employees were told to train the Indian workers. If they refused , the company would fight their unemployment, fight their pensions and anything else coming to them. They had very powerful lawyers threatening. Everybody I knew caved. Working under such circumstances is very depressing.
Been there, done that. What can I say? I needed the paycheck.
At the TV station I worked in my previous life, the decision was made by the EVIL (out-of-town) Corporate Overlords to eliminate one newscast. Which meant that they could also cut some positions. I had already been moved from full-time to part-time and had been able to land anywhere else. I had a mortgage to pay and family to support.
The job I was in involved co-ordinating satellite feeds, and operating the KU-band uplink, both of which required following detailed procedures. I was the only one on our small staff who knew the procedures and I was expected to provide training to my replacement, who would then take over once my hours disappeared.
I gave proper training out of professionalism and self-respect, but nothing beyond that.
Would I do it again? Depends on the circumstances.
My friend worked for a company where he was told his position was scheduled to be terminater in something like nine months. Needless to say, he strolled into work each day for nine months collecting a paycheck and doing not so much work.
Companies generally don’t want you hanging around for very long once you’ve been layed off or fired. At best, most people with any kind of sense will just take up space and at worst they might actively do things to damage the company.
I’ve always worked at management consulting/professional services firms though - big, corporate, professional, lots of sensitivity to getting sued. I’ve seen a lot of unprofessional, fucked up, depressing companies where they treat their employees like shit because they hire people who have no choice but to take it.
Same thing with a technology co. that I used to work for. I survived the first 4 rounds of layoffs, but got hit by the 5th. Friends lasted another two years until now, when they were offered the opportunity to train their Indian replacements.
Here, if you are laid off you are entitled to two weeks’ pay for every year of service. However, you have to work the days (of the two weeks times the years) to get the money.
Unless your boss decides that would be poisonous to the workplace and releases from the requirement.
That’s usually how it works at my job. Even if the person is being laid off not for cause and can look forward to six months’ severance, they still usually get escorted out the door. On the other hand, I know of at least one case where the person, a mid-level project manager, was notified she was going to be laid off, but still worked for about a month before actually leaving.
I would have said, “if I’m not qualified for that job, why are asking me to train someone for it?”
Many decades ago, I was fired from a job ( :mad: by a boss who was a God damned arrogant shithead :mad: ) and I don’t think he really had “cause”.
(I’m sticiking with the OP with this story because it points out the importance of being nice to someone who just might train someone for a job).
I specifically wanted to clean out my desk for one reason - to get the instructions for doing my job (written by me and all of it re-written at home by me so it really wasn’t quite company property). The instructions were quite detailed and I had to look at them practically every day. When I got home, I immediately decided to make my decision irrevocable by burning the instructions in an old wood stove I used to have. :mad:
I was hired by another company rather quicikly. I still had a few friends where I used to work and I eventually learned that alleged human being that was my boss got fired. (I hope in some small way, the instructions were at least a small component contributing to his downfall).
Right on. What do you owe the company? They’ve outlined their loyalty to you. F’ Dat
The extent of the training would be… here’s your desk and computer if you have any questions refer to wikipedia. I’ll be over here sending out resumes by the truckload. Oh yeah… If you tell anybody… (dramatic pause)… I’ll kill ya.
Like they say… When the music stops you’d better make sure you have a chair.
I began a job - delivery coordinator - in September 2006. During the interview I stated truthfully that I intended to go to grad school next September (and also that I intended to travel to Europe for two weeks during the work year). They agreed to the terms and hired me. Mid-Feburary they hired my replacement. He is the boyfriend of one of the sale people. When he was hired he was told, “You are to be a salesperson until September. But we are expecting you to help out Spezza; learn his job, and replace him while he is in Europe.” I leave for Europe in two weeks, he hasn’t “helped” me yet.
Dumbass - as we’ll refer to my replacement - was suppose to completely take over for me this week. The plan was I’d be around for two weeks to help him out, answer questions, supervise, and do the paperwork I never have time to. On his first day he spends the first two hours looking at personal stuff on the internet and then, calls me and says, “I’m looking at what I have to do today and don’t think I’ll have time to get it all done. Can you do it? I have customers to call.” “No,” I reply. “what?” “no. I’m not doing your work.” “well, how I am suppose to get this stuff done? there is too much!” “yeah, I know.” click
Yes, he hung up on me. Unfortunately for me, it was only him and his girlfriend working all day; so I sat alone and in silence all day. Being professionals, neither would speak to me. Today we had a “meeting” with the GM. She said, “Dumbass, do your work. Don’t ask Spezza to do it for you.” His retort, “But he won’t help me.” GM, “No. I wouldn’t either. Spezza shouldn’t be doing the hard work while you call customers. Learn how to get it done, all of it.”
If it’s clear that I will become unemployed even after the “training” has been completed, I would be personable and be happy to present any company-provided curriculum. Beyond that, whatever contract I had with the company is history. Heck, I might just call in sick for a couple of days while I’m still on the payroll.
No, I wouldn’t train the replacement person. If I’m not good enough for the job, then I’m obviously screwing stuff up and they’re better off getting me out of there as fast as possible, and I’ll happily help them do that by picking up my coffee cup and walking out the door.
