In less than four years, the culture of ESM changed from a pretty decent place to work with a great atmosphere to one lacking any sort of direction, hope, or excitement. Despite the insincere platitudes that there is no reason that Xerox would have purchased ESM just to run it into the ground, that is exactly what is happening. ESM’s greatest resource as a business was in its people – people who are now desperately searching for any and every escape route possible. Regardless of how hard the people who remain work, it appears as though ESM is a sinking ship. Bound by corporate red tape (it’s more than a cliché!), leadership at ESM is basically powerless to make any real changes to improve or salvage the company.
Additionally, anyone who works in a “support department” is constantly in danger of being furloughed (two week-long furloughs in less than one year), or being laid off due to Xerox’s “cost cutting” measures. Xerox will not even approve the costs to replace the water/ice machine, forcing the employees to drink tap water. The machine broke in October of 2013 and as of May 2014 has still not been repaired/replaced. They shut down two of their offices (Westminster and Southlands) at the end of 2013, limit what types of office supplies can be ordered (no pads of paper or tissue for you!), and refuse to update/replace broken down or obsolete technology. The writing is on the wall. Will ESM be around to even see 2015?