When the system is forced to downsize, a genuine perversion of morality occurs, as a small stratum of people draw society’s resources, the gap continues to widen, and the price is paid by those who are far from the dinner table.
The complex economic reality impacts the job market as well. The decrease in activity, increase in interest, international crisis, and similar issues are not just global topics. Behind them stand people, workers, customers, and suppliers who have names. The large industries are not the only ones to pay this heavy price, but also many families who find themselves struggling to maintain a living. The obligation of a director, CEO, employer, or anyone else in power must first and foremost be to act according to their responsibilities towards the body they run, and therefore layoffs, budget cuts, and structural changes are necessary, otherwise the tree branch that all of this rests on will fall. However, especially in a time of crisis is one obligated to assess the path one takes using humane and moral factors.
The commitment of a CEO is first and foremost to the owners of the company – both private owners and shareholders. Despite this, the reputation of the business was not created by him alone. The workers are partners, as well as the customers, suppliers, and the system around them. One must take them into account as well when making decisions, both due to the moral imperative that it is not proper to throw away one who you benefited from in times of growth, as the business is trying to deal with the new economic reality. This is the time where we really see one’s integrity, which comes with its own reward, as the hopeful recovery will need cohesiveness and without it, everyone is hurt.
Even the process of layoffs must be assessed under a moral and humane umbrella. There is no action more significant that a boss can do than give employment. This is how the Rambam defined the greatest level that a person can act for his friend in need. If there is a possibility to cut everyone’s salaries without firing anyone – this is the proper thing to do; if one has the capability to send people on vacation, to vocational courses, or to allow people to survive above the turbulent waters – this is the proper thing to do; if they are presented with the possibility to weigh the factor of who has a high chance of finding another job and who doesn’t – this is the proper thing to do.
His ability to make creative solutions must withstand this even during this time, for each of his decisions can provide great destruction towards those who are being fired. Alongside his obligation to lead with professionalism and reliability to the owners is a vast space of humane factors that he must actualize now. This is the meaning of our solidarity as humans, which is not socialist but humane, not a class war but a recognition of the fact that we are all one big family.
And no less – the layer of societal “fat”. It is permitted for people to make a large sum of money with integrity, and this is ideal. However, when the system is forced to downsize, a genuine perversion of morality occurs, as a small stratum of people draw society’s resources, the gap continues to widen, and the price is paid by those who are far from the dinner table. This is also very dangerous. There is a certain point where these income gaps will burst forth and it will not be possible to extinguish the flames. This is not a decision that someone can make from the outside. This is a decision that is placed on those who can take more and take advantage of this to no end, without seeing those who are around it. This can be your greatest and most beautiful hour, for at the end of the day one’s reputation is not memorialized for their financial achievements but being a mentsch.
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