Cost-Cutting At Work [RANT]

Last Friday, I got a call from my boss (who works at one of the Battle Cruisers, rather than here on the Death Star), asking me to tell him about my BlackBerry.  (I'm aware that department heads are looking at their budgets right now, trying to trim some fat.  Our BB footprint is not insubstantial: about 25 devices deployed, each running $110 per month.)  So I honestly tell him I use the email aspect a ton.  It's especially useful because I deal a lot with law firms in other countries, where the time zones make it tough to carry on a conversation in real-time.  The BB lets the firm and me wrap up a point of discussion/instruction in 15 minutes that would otherwise stretch over 2-3 days.  I've also done my calls on it, since it's a PITA to come back to the office at 1AM for just a 15-minute call.  But honestly, it isn't critical to my position that I have it -- I can survive without it, although I'd prefer not to.  He then tells me it's being terminated when the contract ends in a few weeks (read: the other shoe dropped).

All-day meeting of senior management today, at which we have lunch ordered in (and we work through it, talking with our mouths full).  I notice we ordered twice the amount of food needed for the ten people in the meeting (sandwiches, sides, chips, drinks, desserts -- the works times 2).  I casually ask the receptionist the order total; $198.62.  She tells me they always do that -- the rest of the sales staff who occupy the floor we meet on "expect" the catered lunch, and she's instructed to order extra for leftovers for the rest of the staff downstairs so the riff-raff don't get too jealous that the upstairs folks get free lunches all the time.

So I have my job made more difficult for me to perform, yet the folks with the highest salaries in the company get free lunches.  One day of which pays for my month of BlackBerry.

 

Oh, I'm hard all right.  I eat office supplies and *feces* *goshdarn* MEMOS.  And the pages come out STAPLED, bitch.

You know who doesn't need a BlackBerry?  The VP-R&D, who never travels or takes work home.  Or the VP-Regulatory, who never travels or takes work home, and who deals with one outside firm ... in the same time-zone.  Or the CFO, who never travels or takes work home.  Or the sales guys, who always have their cutting-edge laptops with them and never stray from a wifi hotspot.  Or the Technology Director-Textiles, who never travels or takes work home.

Or the "Facilities Manager".  Yes, even our *goshdarn* JANITOR has a BlackBerry.

No, I heard maybe 3 devices are being called in.

I have to use my own phone and data plan to get email and my calendar synced - I don't do business calls on it unless its short or I cannot get around it.  You have to be Director level or higher to get one paid for by the firm I think.

I'd have the data plan anyway, so I'm fine with the BYO policy.

Let's just say that the guy I'd report it to doesn't have the cleanest skirt.

 

If my boss were to strip me of my ability (or more specifically my obligation) to conduct work after regular business hours, I'd thank him.

For the CEO's perspective, let me just say that there is nothing more aggravating than seeing a COST center, like a legal department, one that doesn't contribute a single dime to the bottom line, incur additional unnecessary costs such as blackberry devices and toilet paper in their shared bathroom facilities, in addition to their overpaid salaries. 

At Blader Industries, Inc., my crack team of (excessively compensated) human resources managers--through their  innovative "Don't Commute 'till You Poop" campaign-- raise awareness among our cost center colleagues to be sure to take their bowel movements at home before coming to the One Blader Plaza. 

I can get a second phone on the Verizon family plan for ten bucks.  I have no intention of spending an additional $100 per month so I can send/receive work email on my personal, I'm-paying-for-it cell phone.

Why come people "need" Blackberries for non-work-related email?