I am fortunate to be a part of countless career discussions – or in this case – career processing – that is, making sense of it all.  My colleague called the disconnect between corporations valuing employees one day and letting them go the next The Big Lie.  Yesterday, you cared about me.  Today you put me out on the street.  Yesterday you needed me.  Today, I've lost my job.

To him, a more honest way to manage employees would be to remind them REGULARLY  about the fragility of the employment relationship. Talk about at will employment as often as you talk about the niceties and benefits.  Don't just remind employees at offer letter time and new employee orientation that there are no guarantees – perhaps a periodic reminder in a pay stub would be a good idea.

Is it a Big Lie? or is it that businesses operate in a grey area between truth and lies?  Just like people – businesses are living, changing breathing organisms.  They have morals and standards.  They make painful, gut wrenching decisions.  It pains me to see corporations that have historically offered unconditional life time employment try to reconcile that promise with the financial challenges they are facing today.  For me, it is easier to wake up every day and believe that most people – whether they are CEOs or line employees try to do the right thing.

We are in uncharted waters with this economy.  I expect that what we learn through these weeks and months will shape our definition of truth, absoluteness and remind us of the  importance of flexibility and in depending on ourselves rather than our company to shape our future.