Adversity brings unity...

Or so they say. Tonight I saw the literal embodiment of that epithet.

I've kept in touch with a few mates from my old job, and got invited to the farewell drinks and dinner of a couple of other staff members. It's been 6 weeks since I left, so I thought the gap would tell. But people were genuinely pleased to see me, and we started from where we'd left off 6 weeks ago. It amazed me how good it felt, as if I'd never left and was still part of the group. It helped that 5 other people there had either just left or were about to leave.

There was an atmosphere of celebration and triumph; an atmosphere that certainly never existed at work. It was a fantastic night and I came home buzzed and happy (yeah, I know: work functions are never like that!!).

Having moved jobs, I noticed a few things I hadn't seen 6 weeks ago. People were closer; there was more blatant negativity and bitchiness about where the company was headed; people were starting to be more cavalier about what they said to management; people were genuinely thrilled for anyone who "stuck it to the man" by handing in their resignation. I was struck by the last-day-of-school vibe and camaraderie; something I realised I miss tremendously.

I wondered why the behaviour was so obvious when it hadn't been before, and didn't seem evident in my new company. Was it just because I hadn't noticed it when I was part of it?

And then I got told things had gone seriously downhill since I'd left. Colleagues quite freely told me the horror stories that had pushed them over the edge. Mere rumblings when I left were now full-fledged volcanoes. I was congratulated for "getting out in time" and comments of a rodent, inept boating and marine nature were made. I got this weird visual image of my ex-colleagues as refugees, all rushing to get out before the borders close and things get dire.

It also occurred to me that the reason I haven't seen it in my new job is:
a) my new job is new. I still don't know people all that well.
b) my new job has squillions of employees. My old job had a total of 50.
c) my new job is normal and mostly functional. My old job wasn't.

So the bad thing about working for a maladjusted company? You'll hate your job and the management, pay and hours will be awful. But the good thing is you'll have a marvellous support group if everyone else is in the same boat. You'll probably form lasting friendships and miss that group when you leave for a decent job.

It's just a shame it takes a crap situation to create such strong bonds.