In old days, especially in larger corporations, the employer-employee relationship was often regarded as somewhat paternalistic (the company will provide and will take care of you...). Those who stuck around were sometimes given training and promotions. It was believed that satisfied employees would be more productive employees, would contribute a positive attitude, and would reduce turnover costs.
Times changed. With those changes came competition-driven imperatives. Entrepreneurially driven companies better coped with rapidly changing technologies and circumstances. Using an old-time example such as GM, it became top-heavy with senior unionized employees, many of whom were no longer needed as the company had to further automate. Those same legacy union employees became vested retirees who eventually outnumbered actively working employees by a ratio of 1.7 to 1. Only through big-government bailout and big-government subsidies is that dinosaur of a company still surviving, and even then just to pass another day.
The best bet now is to take responsibility for your own employability and adaptability. Gain the best experience you can with one employer, knowing that employment can end at any time and you must have transferrable skills that apply where you are now, or where you may be later.
Times changed. With those changes came competition-driven imperatives. Entrepreneurially driven companies better coped with rapidly changing technologies and circumstances. Using an old-time example such as GM, it became top-heavy with senior unionized employees, many of whom were no longer needed as the company had to further automate. Those same legacy union employees became vested retirees who eventually outnumbered actively working employees by a ratio of 1.7 to 1. Only through big-government bailout and big-government subsidies is that dinosaur of a company still surviving, and even then just to pass another day.
The best bet now is to take responsibility for your own employability and adaptability. Gain the best experience you can with one employer, knowing that employment can end at any time and you must have transferrable skills that apply where you are now, or where you may be later.
