When the time comes to leave
The Lion King put things in perspective. We’re all part of a “circle of life”, and the workplace is subject to the same rules about coming and going.
This afternoon, a colleague stopped by my cubicle to bid a professional farewell. Time to escape. Time to move on to new things (golfing in warmer climates, in this case). The day of retirement, after years and years of service. And afterward, our workgroup gave a few minutes to reflect on a simple closing remark. “In five years, you won’t recognize this place.”
The age span in our building covers, at a guess, four decades. We have people that are fresh out of school, side by side with people that have been in “the school business” since back in the days of the chalk board and sharp pencils. And with a wide range of experience comes the eventual renewal. Out of 55, no less than 25 will be gone, come 2016. A lot of chairs to fill (and train).
I’ve watched the HR side of the corporation grow over the last couple of decades, from an officer and a secretary to a full department. Just to cover the needs of replacement, in large part. Administrative or pedagogical; nobody lasts forever. In the case of the classroom, you can’t “wing it”. The right person for the right job is the only rule of thumb. In the office, the constraints are lowered, but you still need to “get the job done”.
My own forward looking perspective is that we don’t need to chain people to their desks. And if anyone tries, in my case, I’ve already purchased a hacksaw.
