On the Job

Stormy Weather
Whether it's dealing with curious co-workers or a fear of the
unknown, a cool, calm attitude should prevail in the workplace.

by Stephen Viscusi

Dear Steve,
Ever since I joined my southern California firm five years ago, many colleagues have tried to fix me up. As a single guy in his early 30s, I’m a prime candidate for matchmaking. I’ve begged off from all offers, which has people speculating about my sexuality. I overhear the gossip sometimes and realize that some of the loaded statements are clumsy attempts to lure me “out.” (Unfortunately, my boss is one of the gossips, so I can’t ask her for help.) While my co-workers are right about my orientation—they’re wrong about having the right to know. I don’t intend to discuss this with anyone as I think they would treat me differently and it may even affect my advancement. What should I do?
“Private” Citizen

The most important thing is that you be true to yourself and to what makes you feel comfortable. I personally feel a discussion of one’s sexual preference has no place in the workplace, and I have no idea why people feel a need to share their sexual identity with co-workers or clients. So I commend your determination to keep it private. I also agree that even the most well-intentioned people make subconscious judgments and tend to categorize people, not only by sexual orientation, but also by gender, race, age and other factors—even in the allegedly tolerant world of design. So even though it won’t stop the buzzing, I’d say keep them guessing. You may feel differently in the future, and it’s your prerogative to tell who you want, when you want. Do a great job, and make sure workplace conversations stick to professional matters. Your co-workers don’t sound like the most considerate crew out there. If the situation is unbearable, look elsewhere for work.

Dear Steve,
I work at a Manhattan design firm that services the financial industry. Our office was only a handful of blocks from Ground Zero, so in the wake of the catastrophe we had to relocate to a temporary office in Midtown. While there is a special sense of solidarity among the people here, there’s also a lot of grumbling about the inconveniences. But the worst part is that we’re all worried sick about losing our jobs. Business is way, way down—it wasn’t great before September 11th, but since then it’s virtually nonexistent—and we know the firm can’t continue without substantial layoffs. We already got hit by the awful trauma of the attack; now it looks like we’re going to suffer yet more from the fallout. Any ideas on how to weather this storm?
NYC Survivor

I realize how rough this combination of events must be. Try at least to see your predicament in the context of other “recession questions.” The numbers speak for themselves—the industry is nearly at a standstill, and Manhattan in particular is reeling. From what you said, layoffs are probably in the offing at your firm before the economy eventually improves—which could be six to nine months or longer (and the New York City financial market makes it even harder to predict). I offer the same advice to you as I do to any designer in similar straits: hold on if you can, make yourself invaluable, but look for other options, increase savings and trim back spending.

There’s another option that few people are likely to think of themselves (and few bosses think to suggest). First, remember that most layoffs relate to salary: the highest-paid people are the first to get cut. So one creative solution is . . . voluntary pay cuts. If and when the company tells you it has to let you go, try to strike a deal whereby you accept half to two-thirds of your current salary until market conditions improve (a condition that should be defined with precise benchmarks). In exchange, you can ask to work flextime or even to receive a bonus when the economy returns. Some bosses have gone for this; it never hurts to ask. Whether it’s smart to suggest this preemptively to your boss—i.e., before management targets you for downsizing—is questionable. I usually tell people to wait.