So, I’m a little worried about my company. I have no complaints with my department and my job, and I’m enjoying working for a company like this, with all the perks and such. However, a LOT of people are leaving the company. I’m not talking bottom of the ladder, clerical, entry-level people either. Managers and supervisors are heading out the door, too! Should I be worried?

Medical Research Laboratories International, as my company used to be known, was bought by a much larger PPD several years ago. About 8 months ago, PPD finally got around to fully integrating MRLI into their existing structure and business operations. The president of MRLI, the guy who started the company then sold it, was essentially pushed out the door and someone else from within MRLI was promoted to president - for the time being. They hired an outsider who’s been getting the lay of the land and will take over when the current president retires. That’s happening now. As a result, my location is undergoing some fairly big changes in an effort to be more efficient and be more professional. The dress code has changed and they’re redoing the floor plan. Later in the year, they’ll roll out a new system that’s web-based, rather than UNIX and SAS based.

All in all, I’m looking forward to the changes, but apparently many people aren’t. Lab supervisors are leaving. Project managers are leaving. Supervisors of some “office” departments are leaving or have already left. My old department, which once consisted of 9 team members, currently has 7, is losing another tomorrow and two more are pregnant and due any day now. They’re not hiring anyone to replace them as of now. Instead, they are combining that department with another department. Many people aren’t happy about that.

What’s funny is that the support and data coordination departments (support was my old department and data is who they are combining with) are devastated by the number of people who are leaving and the changes that are being forced on them at this time. Same goes for the project managers. Those are on the left and right side of the office area. Data management, my department, is in the middle and we’re doing fine. To my knowledge, there are no complaints, at least not on the same level and scope as everyone else, and no one is planning on leaving. I wonder why this discrepancy exists in the company…

Should I be worried? I don’t want to go down on a sinking ship, but the stock is doing well, the financials were on par last quarter, our client base is growing, so the company seems to be doing fine.

I’m thinking some people don’t like the change in leadership or change in environment. Some people have been there for years and don’t like things changing at all. I’m hoping this is the case, because it won’t be long before my department is impacted at the same level as the others.

In other news, the Assistant Secretary of Import Administration, David Spooner from the Department of Commerce, will be visiting the office tomorrow. The purpose of his visit will be to promote the benefits of international trade. I can’t decide how big this is…