Interesting developments at work...

For those who were clued in, I'll mention it here quickly. I am not retrenched (yet)....I've seen enough information that makes me feel somewhat secure of my not too distant future, so all's good so far.

HOWEVER.....Aside from knowing I will have a job for the short term, I've noticed a drastic change in the atmosphere of my office.

It started on 2 fronts. One is a strained relationship with a colleague of mine which I believe is due to irreconsilable differences. Now that's fine with me, but let's keep business, business, please?

The other stems from the fact that with the recent changes in my company, knowledge of what's to be can be both powerful and dangerous. Where I sit, as a large group, we are one. But on a smaller scale, I'm dwarfed by a larger team of 4 women who's boss is also a woman. Oh, I'm a one man show with a female boss too. A different female boss. As their boss is located in KL (mine's in Australia, btw.) they got news of the changes first. When the first person came in, she was shivering and ended up giving me some idea of what was told. Me being me, that's as far as it goes. I think she was reprimanded by the other colleague (see above) to not discuss it as it wasn't public knowledge yet. Now, I've been expecting these changes for awhile as I've been clued in as much as I can by my boss in Australia. So I kinda expect this to happen. Not so much of a news to me, the new's I'm to hear from my boss later in the afternoon was by far more....intriguing.

So they go about not talking about it but in their casual conversation they didn't have a problem hinting it left, right and centre. Take top and bottom too. Or maybe I was just sensitive. In any case, my boss calls and while what I can say now is that I was told I'd be safe and I was told I'd be joining the bigger team soon as a new construct of sorts. Jolly good news...Until recently, that is. But what I didn't know was that the other team's communique was of a lesser extent. They know about them and that's it. They know not about our larger larger group and it's fate. I do. So it made sense for me to not allude much but just plain keep my mouth shut.

But I couldn't. The news was so big for me I had to talk. So I went to talk to a senior manager in my company (yes, as senior as it can go where I am based) and spilled my beans. A good 30 minutes later it wasn't so bad but I still was a little sore. Oh well, change sucks. Get use to it..

Then a few days later, their boss called for a meeting which at first didn't involve me. Now, I'm used to them doing things without me. As bad as it feels, if it ain't my problem, don't get involved. But it turns out the meeting was to find out if one of them spoke to me about what they know and obviously the boss is not happy. And, that colleague of mine (see above, haha!) later hinted they think I spilled elsewhere. Which I did, but only to someone of a much higher level. Is that wrong? Funny though, I'd have my boss tell me things too, no? They're not the only ones with access to the news, you know....

So I denied it and acted dumb. While the official announcement was still a way to go, the team gleefully incorporated what's to be in their casual conversation. And they have the cheek to want to find out who told me??? Gosh, I'd have to be dumb AND STUPID to not find out at the rate they were going. Wait, probably being dumb wouldn't help. Deaf, maybe...

So I got pissed and started alienating myself that day. Just that day.

Since then, I keep getting this feeling they've convened and decided to treat me as I have. Now I'm feeling more and more alienated from that bigger team than before. They'd talk, ask random questions and I'd never get involved. I sometimes try to join in, but it feels so uncomfortable. They would talk across the room but all that's been said is for everyone but me..

Now, I wouldn't give 2 hoots if we were still going to be 2 different teams of a larger department. But in a very near future, we will be ONE BIG FAMILY. I already feel like the bastard son. Now, that's bad business.

Maybe I'm just sensitive. I've alienated myself before but I've not felt that they cared. Now it seems like it's up to me to do something about it.

I'll have to wait for news about the new construct to know what my next steps are.

So much for me predicting them would leave the team first, since they've been complaining about their work since the day I joined. Initially I figured everyone's got complains, but....Anyway, I still feel I'll last longer than any of them. But changes have a way of fast tracking plans...

In any case, it's not the first time I'm left on my own. Story of my life. Get used to it.

Oh, just want to mention that there are actually 3 certainties in life. Death, Taxes and Change.