Lowe's Home Improvement Stores - NH

[ushaggerb]

Originally Posted by CateP

Not to get political or anything , but I think this is really sad. I work for a publically traded company and have seen colleagues laid off so the company can improve the bottom line for shareholders. These were colleagues with little kids to raise.

Three NH stores are closing. I feel for the employees and families who are affected.

Wondering...was there ever a time in our history when companies said "while we may not have been as profitable as we like this past year, we wanted to keep our employees working...it was the right thing to do."

I think private companies can and do say that from time to time. Public companies have a shareholder obligation; they have to make really hard choices sometimes. They have to hit their targets: growth, profit, etc.

But I think you are on to something. Right now public companies are at the point of diminishing returns if they cut more. People are working at a pace that they probably can't keep and are making mistakes they wouldn't if there were larger staffs. "If you've cut out the fat, cut through the muscle, the only cut left is the bone."