...how co-workers change after a layoff. As I mentioned in an earlier journal entry, one of the programmers in my office was let go last week. Since that has happened another one of the programmers here (who up until this point had been quite reserved and quiet) has become (quite frankly) a real dick. He's started bossing people around and stating that this needs to be changed and that will have to stop etc.
Now I for one am quite miffed by this. I'm not quite sure why he feels the need to "order" me to do stuff. I don't work for him as we both have the same boss. His programming experience (i.e his age - he's a good 20 years older than me) is greater than mine but I've been with the company longer so *technically* I've got seniority.
Hopefully this is just a temporary "phase" he's going through as he's a really nice guy and I've never had a problem with him before. It's just bloody weird I tell ya...
IME, layoffs tend to affect older folks differently, even if they're not the ones being laid off -- they have fewer opportunities for jobs, difficult to restart, etc. Putting myself in his shoes with my two cents: he's probably just deeply worried and feels out of control so tries to exert control by telling other people what to do.
