When an e-mail from the company CEO includes the following, everyone starts looking over their shoulders:
During the last several weeks, our senior management team has stepped up to the task of identifying and implementing steps to reduce expenses and to create more efficient operations. Many of these steps are designed to mitigate current conditions, but some we expect to have long lasting benefits. Significant savings will be delivered.
Rumors across the company are running rampant. Talk includes everything from eliminating all seasonal employees to eliminating part-timers to cutting full time hours to 30/week. I'll admit: it's scary. Of course, we're still busy through the holidays, which means that January will be the time for those cuts.
Scott and I keep looking at the seniority list for his area and are pretty confident that he's high enough that cuts by seniority won't affect him. My gut instinct is that his worst-case scenario is a cut in hours. I know that my job and my hours are safe as long as The Restaurant is open. I just wonder if a restaurant with such a specialized niche - $300+ for dinner for two - is like the canary in the mine shaft.
One of my managers pointed out that The Restaurant stayed open after 9/11, with the company choosing to temporarily shutter another Hotel restaurant instead. And besides that, people with big money still have big money.
Even still, I'm keeping a closer eye on our savings. That seems like the responsible thing to do.
1 comment:
If I had to guess, I'd say your restaurant is safe and sound. During the Great Depression, lots of people made lots of money. There will always be the Daddy Warbuckses who will enjoy a nice meal. And your company will only cut back where the demand diminishes. Your particular location is SO not a restaurant that depends on being high brow and expensive; but rather, it survives on its excellence. Economies like this one really separate the sheep from the goats! My gut says you'll survive ... especially your specific job! If you need to compete more for the rich guy's eating dollar, you'll be more careful to make the experience memorable ... that's where YOU come in! Who knows, but this could make YOU rich!
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