3/3/2014 in Melbourne Diaries

A dreadful last week. On Thursday, the news came through that the agency I work for would be abolished, with its functions merged into the parent Department. This means job cuts and a possible move from Melbourne to (ugh) Canberra. Then the next day, the Department (my own employer) announced job cuts of 20 to 25 per cent this year, with every person having to reapply for their own job. There's been no communication with staff, and the abolition of the agency has been undertaken in a dismissive, officious manner. I can't say much on specifics, but the experience has been extremely unpleasant.

The atmosphere at work is terrible. On Thursday I had to step in for the increasingly distressed and under attack CEO on many occasions to try to brief staff on what was going on, and what the implications would be for their jobs. I must have done OK as the most affected staff members praised me for being honest to them (a backhanded way of accusing the CEO of being dishonest) and then invited me out for commiseration drinks. I've probably drunk more this weekend that any previous time in my life, and, feeling bloated and unfit, am in need of a salad and a 10k jog this afternoon.

How serious this is for me in the long term is unclear, but right now I would jump at any opportunity to take another job, no matter what the location. I am able to be nomadic if required, taking a nice voluntary redundancy package with me, and five years is too long in any job, especially one that treats its employees so abysmally.