Change Is Not Always Progress

The work atmosphere in the 1980’s was very different from what I experienced in the first decade of the 21st century. Back then I started work with a document imaging company editing promotional copy for its Marketing Department. The company was very good to its employees. Employees, in turn, worked hard for the company. Wages were competitive, promotions readily obtainable, and college courses 100% refundable. As a result, morale ran high, causing many of us to celebrate our good fortune with weekly happy hours. With the arrival of the 21st century, came dramatic changes. I was now writing and managing marketing projects. But the proactive work atmosphere previously enjoyed was slowly deteriorating. Informative meetings with upper management became few and far between as did expectations for yearly salary increases. Salaries remained frozen for several years. And to make matters worse, many full time jobs were suddenly being outsourced to other companies overseas. There was also a moratorium put on promotions and benefit reimbursements for education. Morale became so low that weekly happy hours became more of a MUST than an optional night out.