Friday, July 24, 2009

二缺一 (作者: 沈繼思)




  當我發現妳不在坐位上的時候,我最初並沒有不妥的聯想。在所有人的心目中,妳一直很盡心盡力的在工作,從來沒有任何怨言。與妳出 job 的小同事,不約而同讚賞妳態度認真,很用心去教導新人,亦表示從妳的身上學到了很多。過去數年,妳一直都被派往規模不小的工作計劃,相信各經理都認同妳是一個有能力的人。


下一個一定是我


  不過,時間一分一秒過去,妳一直都未有回來,妳並不是一個會於工作時間偷懶的人,我的心情開始很不安。直至有 msn 說妳入了老闆房,我的心像綁了石頭一樣一直往下沉。那一刻,我唯一想到的,就是如果妳都是 onthe list 的話,下一個一定是我。我什麼都做不了,只有靜待惡耗的來臨。


  差不多6點,我枱頭的電話一直沒有響過,電郵及手機也沒有特別訊息。「大屠殺」是不是只限於辦公時間?還是會分幾天進行?相信無人會作出任何交代。再過了一會兒,終於,見到妳面如死灰的回來。


  每個人對被 counsel out 的反應都不一樣。有些會哭哭鬧鬧,繼而有一大班朋友相擁慰問。而妳,我知妳不愛這些,為免引起大家的注意,我只有用 messages 與妳了解事情:  “…don't tell me it's true”  “…yes. I'm on the list”  “…why? u performed good”  “…donno, they just told me that Ididn't perform to their standard”  “…what's their standards?”  “…they didn't mention”  “…did they say anything else?”  “…all rubbish”  “…omg, what's next?”  “…resign in amonth”  “….u didn't ask in detail why u?”  “…useless. The list is fixed. I don't want tobeg for anything”  “…what can I do for u?”  “…thanks. I'm ok”  到後來妳走了以後,有一次與同事們說起妳,原來有一次妳在某 job有個 issue 同經理撑得好「行」,雖然最後證明妳是對的,但那經理對妳的印象因此而不太好,當最後差一個「交人頭」時,那個經理便「篤」了妳出來。


會計只是一盤生意


  我們常常以為身為一個核數師,最大的責任是用我們的專業會計知識去為客戶的賬目作公正的評價。所以,我們一直堅信,只要認真地對待我們的工作,將來雖不敢說成功,但也希望會因為自己是一個專業會計師而感到驕傲。但其實會計也只是一盤生意,在商業社會中,勤力及認真並不是生存的最重要因素。


  會計這個專業界別,其實已經被工作壓力把整個行業的文化和風氣扭曲得體無完膚。這個行業無人會因為做得好或做得多而得到功勞,在所有人眼中,這只不過是一個最基準的工作態度。功勞,是取決於為公司帶來幾多新job。


  但只要你有一小點錯,又或者不是錯,只是一些要別人用多點時間去處理的事情,有些人在某些時候可以把這些東西放得很大,大到可以是一個用來定生死的 critical point。


  在經濟環境好的時候,無論閣下的缺點有幾多,公司賺錢時都可以包容。但當經濟差時,公司不能開源,就只有節流。員工數目因為經濟下調而未能自然流失,裁員是唯一一個方法能夠最快解決人手過剩的問題。


  很可惜,在我們這個行業,會計師行永遠不肯直接承認要裁員,而是用一個怪怪的字眼 counsel out,把接近莫須有的罪名加於人上,而勸籲閣下離職。被 counsel out的同事,永遠要背負這一個罪名及包袱。如果他們將來的工作順利,這個陰影還可慢慢散去。有些人未來工作的路途比較崎嶇,這條刺可能永遠都拔不出來。


充電再找新工作


  而妳,從來都是這麼厚道,一大班人出來把公司批評得一文不值,妳就是不會說太多。大家都為妳感到最不甘心,但妳總是把事情看得這麼自然,說辛苦了這幾年,順勢休息一下,充充電再找新工作。這也是,以妳的能力及態度,無論去到那裏,都一定能創下一番景象。


  相聚離開總有時,我們曾經一同經歷過不少值得回憶的日子,但以後我們各有各忙,見面的時候一定比現在少。將來我們生活在不同的圈子裏,大家將會穫得的閱歷都有所不同,但我們都相信,這份友情,不會因為時間而改變。


之二

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

thanks for sharing. your article is a very valuable reference to many graduates who dreamed about the big 4 jobs. I did have many hopes on big 4 when i joined the firm. A number of years have passed. Now I have no passion about my job. I enjoy reading your article. Do keep writing and sharing.

lck912 said...

thanks for your sharing. From your article I knew the story is true. Even I am not in big4 circle but I can understand your feeling. Some of my batchmate being CO after our 3 years life in the company. Auditing just a business, no one will care about the staff feeling . What they care just "going concern" of the company. But I believe audit field in HK will change one day...

Horace Ma said...

Dear lck912 and Anonymous,

Thank you for your comments. We will share more of our views and news about young accountants' lives and well-being. We will also have events for young accountants in August. Keep watching!

Horace
CEO of YAA

Anonymous said...

I enjoy reading your article. Audit firm is no difference than any of the investment bank. Their revenue goes to the Partners. But for loss, no matter you're professional staff or support staff, we all have to shoulder the loss with them. Despite the OTs and peak seasons we've gone through with them, when it's time to cut cost, our existence is of no value to them.

Anonymous said...

畢業後一直在一NGO工作,已10多年,工作有點乏味.很多時候總覺得,未入過BIG 4 總有一點遺憾.但近日經濟不景,有一份安穩的工作,又總覺得有點安慰.世事總是矛盾,沒有兩全其美的.