Do you lead or clean up?

"...Like I've said before, in 20 years all that will be left in corporate America are CEOs and janitors."

The above states what is probably one of my all time favorite quotes, from one of my all time favorite web sites. It is amusing but at the same time holds a very loud ring of truth to it.

If you're a regular reader of the site I linked above, you will fast realize that most major companies outsource almost everything concerning corporate functions. Why? One reason: Cost effectiveness.

The average pencil pusher makes around 30 to 50k annually in the USA just about anywhere you go. Pencil pusher jobs are things like Finance, Billing, Information Technologies (that's what I do) and so on. Before 1990 (roughly speaking) it was typical for most major companies to have large departments for the aforementioned. These days there is no reason to have that anymore. Departments that were once 100 people strong can now be handle the same tasks with a team of 10. Eventually, those tasks will be able to be handled by a team of 2.

Is this good or bad? Most people would say it's bad, and they would be right, BUT.. at the end of the day, it all depends on one thing: How do the investors feel today? If they feel good, the company makes more money. If they don't feel good (and bail), the company loses money, and therefore has to cut costs to stay alive.

I myself have dealt with corporate downsizing more than once. The first time it happened to me I was ticked off more than you could imagine, but over time, you deal with it. You have to, because as a cube-dweller you have no voice.

The quote at the top of this entry just reminds me that being a corporate idiot gets you nowhere in life. And yeah, corporate people are idiots. Someday soon I shan't have to deal with the idiots any longer, and that will be a very happy day. (grin)