In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the IT industry has truly outdone itself. Not content with simply weathering the storm and keeping their employees on the payroll, many companies have decided to go all-in on the classic corporate strategy of “hire when times are good, fire when times are bad.” And boy, are times bad!
It all started back in 2020 when the pandemic hit and companies across the board were forced to adapt to a remote workforce. Suddenly, every tech company out there was hiring like crazy to keep up with the demand for new software and infrastructure to support the sudden shift to remote work. All those unemployed baristas and waiters out there suddenly found themselves with job opportunities in the IT industry, and they flocked to fill the ranks.
But now, fast forward to 2023, and things have changed. The pandemic is still raging, and the economy is in shambles. Suddenly, all those new hires are starting to look like liabilities, and the companies that were so eager to snatch them up are starting to get cold feet.
Let’s face it, the IT industry has a long history of using economic downturns as an excuse to cut costs and trim their workforces. And while they may dress it up as “restructuring” or “rightsizing,” we all know what it really means: people losing their jobs.
And so, the mass layoffs and firings have begun. The companies that were so quick to hire during the pandemic are now just as quick to fire. And let’s not forget the icing on the cake: the obligatory press release announcing the layoffs, complete with a statement from the CEO about how difficult this decision was and how much they value their employees. Yeah, right. If you really valued your employees, you wouldn’t be throwing them out on the street like yesterday’s trash.
But hey, who needs job security or stability when you can always find a new job, right? And if you can’t, well, there’s always the option of freelancing. Sure, you might not have benefits or a stable income, but at least you can work from home in your pajamas, right?
The real kicker here is that many of these companies that are firing people left and right are still hiring new employees. That’s right, even in the midst of a pandemic and an economic downturn, some companies are still hiring like it’s going out of style. Of course, they’re not hiring for the jobs that they just fired people from - that would be too logical. No, they’re hiring for new, shiny, “essential” roles that just happen to be conveniently outside the scope of the employees they just fired.
It’s almost like these companies are playing a sick game of musical chairs, except instead of music, they’re playing the sound of a firing squad. And instead of chairs, they’re playing with the livelihoods of their employees.
But let’s not forget the silver lining here: at least these companies are saving a few bucks, right? I mean, who needs experienced, loyal employees when you can just outsource everything to a cheaper overseas provider or replace them with fresh-faced college graduates who will work for peanuts? And who needs stability and continuity in their workforce when you can just turn it over every few years?
In conclusion, it’s clear that the IT industry has truly outdone itself this time. They’ve managed to hire thousands of people during a pandemic, only to fire them all a few years later when the going got tough. And of course, they’re still hiring new employees - just not the ones they just fired. But hey, who needs job security or stability when you can always find a new job or freelance, right? After all, the gig economy is thriving, and who wouldn’t want to work for peanuts with no benefits in their pajamas?
