In Search of Sensitivity: a Short Story on Corporate "Life"

The high-tech analysts were gathered to receive the latest on-high edicts from the boss's boss. There was absolute silence -- a group trend that had solidified over the past few months.

The assumption was that staffing and workload would be addressed. They had lost two key producers a few months ago, and those positions had yet to be filled. The queue was crushing them, and even the strongest were desperate, stretched to breaking. Socializing, communicating, collaborating, and even simple courtesy had ceased, extinguished by exhaustion and exigency.

Then their mainstay member had announced retirement. One more gone, one who'd shouldered a big load and, most important, had been the glue that held the group together. Rumour had it she'd been forced out; a rumour that would have seemed insane in a saner milieu. Three gone out of twelve.

Within two weeks, their star strategist quit, giving only the mandatory two weeks notice. His current projects were parceled out to the survivors. The lack of comment was remarkable. The air was permeated with the kind of apathy found in detainee camps.

A few days later, their top producer announced that he, too, was retiring. In a group of hard workers going at full speed, he still stood out. His productivity was so phenomenal that they'd sent him to the Bahamas last year, in a reward event for the winners from each division.

Just this morning they'd heard whispers that another of their top producers -- not at the level of the Bahamas winner, but within the top 3 -- was on her way out. She'd been in a bad accident that had torn her shoulder, and was having surgery in a couple of weeks, and the boss had blatantly declared that if her productivity dropped, even during surgery, she'd be fired. The team assumed she was choosing early retirement over such an indignity. Six gone out of twelve.

So the tension now, waiting for the naked emperor, was high. Each speculated privately as to what remedy he would offer, what reassurances he could possibly give that they wouldn't be steamrollered and completely destroyed.

"Welcome, everbody," he said, with a pause for applause that never came. "A lot has been happening lately, and I've gotten you people together to talk about the new challenges we're taking on, and additional ways that you can do more, to contribute to our organization ..."