At work, people come and go and that’s just the way it is. This week has been a bit different though. My company offered an enhanced early retirement (EER) program* that resulted in a number of people leaving, all at once.
Friday is the last day for most of the folks who took the offer. So instead of the typical goodbye party for one person, there have been a variety of going away activities the past couple of weeks. Being remote I’ve missed all the gatherings, and I am a bit sad about that. I’ve been sending “good luck/good bye” messages via email today and as the responses have come back the magnitude of the loss is starting to soak in. In the Silicon Valley, where job-hopping every few years is standard behaviour, HP really did build a company and culture that supported long-term employment; I’ve worked with many of the departing colleagues for over 20 years and will miss them.
So to them, my best wishes for your future endeavors; it’s been an honor to have worked with so many wonderful people over the years.
*(one that I was just barely NOT eligible for, not that I would have taken it; I still like my job)