Goodbyes and New Beginnings

 Today was my first day back at work. It was also my last day at that company. I had been there for over six years and absolutely adore so many of my coworkers. But enough is enough, and when my character is called into question, when there is absolutely no regard for the human aspect of an employee, or consideration for the hard work that was put into the transition of the company, and the new owner/CEO repeats over and over that "everyone is replaceable", there's something wrong. I knew it in my gut back in March and tried to stick it out for months. I was really hoping I'd go back today after my medical leave and there'd be positivity and instead I was met with several emails discounting the work I've done as HR Director, pointing out mistakes from teammates (that weren't their mistakes - just a side effect of the transition and setting up new systems such as payroll) and accusing me of "stealing" or taking time from the company by not putting in for PTO on a day where I was still checking emails and had already worked over my salaried hours for that week. The thing I loved most about the company up until two months ago was the recognition that PEOPLE are your biggest asset. Not the bottom line dollar, because that won't be there if you mistreat people. Male leaders who have a hard time with women in positions of authority (and to be honest, women who are most likely smarter, better educated, and more respected in the company than you) should not be leading companies in 2023. There's no room for egos if you want your employees to respect you and vice versa. It's sad, but it was time for that door to close. 

So what's next? I don't know! And that's scary. But I'm going to continue to focus on my health. I didn't make this decision to have a better version of me through a grueling surgical procedure and recovery to just throw it all away when my mental health and emotional well-being is crushed in a soul-crushing job. My family, my mental health, and my future deserve more than that and that's what I plan to do, whatever that course may look like moving forward.