Lumbergh?

Star employees yesterday received a McClatchy Company form letter telling them that about 150 staff would be cut and that everyone is getting a pay cut. And you thought your day was bad.

The Source will leave the reasons for the breathtaking implosion of the Kansas City Star to another day. There is one question we keep asking ourselves though.

How many times can one company mishandle a downsizing?

As if the news itself is not enough to kill morale- the way in which McClatchy and the Star continue to let their employees twist in the wind borders on criminal. The news is delivered on a Monday, but instead of just ripping the band-aid off and getting the pain over and done with, The Star extends the agony.

Now employees get to keep working while wondering if they will get to keep their job with a salary decrease or whether they will need to apply to work in the Nixon Administration. Like Knute Rockne, Mark Zieman really knows how to get the best out of his players, doesn’t he? Job uncertainty doesn’t usually inspire people to work harder.

There is a reason that major companies fire people on Fridays. There is also a reason they announce who is leaving at the same time- instead of announcing the number of positions to quit.

Productivity will be at an all-time low this week for The Star as employees gather around the water cooler and ask one another in hushed tones, “What have you heard?”

Is it just us or does Mark Zieman bear a striking resemblance to Bill Lumbergh as a manager? It won’t be long before we hear about Barbara Shelly wondering around the office asking if anyone has seen her stapler.

Comments

[Boatswain Mate]

And what would you expect from "The Star"?

[Nick]

The "Falling" Star!