How many times have we heard big organisations say they are "people companies" or that they believe "people are our number one asset"?Suppose this were true. When times got tough as they are now and companies needed to save money and cut costs, would the employees be the first thing to go or the last? Yet we all know that when belts are being tightened, the people in these "people companies" are the first thing to get the chop.
This is stupid for numerous, obvious reasons: if I wanted to build a really cheap car I could in theory at least do it by getting rid of the most expensive bit: the engine. The car would certainly be cheap, but it wouldn't be much use because I'd got rid of the bit which makes it go. The same is true of companies: the people are not "assets", they're what makes the company go. No people, no company.
So for all their posturing and bluster about being "people companies", we all know that really, if the cost-cutting were to continue as far as most companies wanted, all that would be left would be a building containing only furniture, computers and the board of directors. We all know reality is harsh and times and are tough, but if you're really a furniture, computer and director oriented company, do us all a favour and at least stop lying about it.
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