We received our salary lately and we were all disappointed. We don’t have commissions anymore. My colleagues and I were upset, a normal immediate reaction. We were trying to push the sales the best we can. We get commissions on individual sales. The more the sales, of course, the more the commission. But this time though, without any memo from the head management, we were all dumbfounded when we found out that we all receive the same text message from our bank that we just got what we are suppose to get, a flat rate.

Then it all just sank in to me today. This global crisis has finally consumed every vein I have. All of us got used to getting more than our basic. And because we get more of our basic, normally, we spend more, have something extra for something extra. Whatever we have extra when we were still getting extra has to halt. The best way, somehow.

This time, because of this no commission breakout, it all breaks the desire to push on for more sales. It’s like the commission have become our motivation to work more effectively.

It does affect me in one way. I have bills and debts to pay. The commissions is something extra which I can use to, somehow, cover some of my consumer debts. Without it, I am bound to really budget what I earn flat rate very tightly. I have no idea if I can manage, but I will try. My colleagues who have loans and some with the same bills to pay as I, is anticipating the difficulty to manage their money.
Global crisis this is. I am trying to look at it on the brighter side, though. I am earning quite well than most of my “kabayans” here in this land. There’s a minority of us who earns average. Above average would be our Filipino engineers who really are in demand in this upcoming 1st world. They are less than the minority. I, on the other hand is on the average, together with nurses, real estate agents, accountants, document controllers and managers, etc. But those who work as normal office employees, waiters, receptionist, customer service, in the construction, they earn quite the minimum, which is a pity. And they are the majority in this arena. They work the hard work, they extend hours, exert enormous amount of energy to a meager salary. I, at least, have to be thankful I still receive my salary. I still got this job, which pays me quite well even without the commission. At least the company has not laid any of us off. Real estate companies have lain off several of their agents and these agents are now trying their luck in the retail industry.
And I think it is a wise decision for the company. Of course they also are affected by the global crisis and laying off employees is a kind of inhumane way of solving the problem. Instead of them kicking people out of the company to make both ends meet, they did a clever solution that will spare us all of the misery. Cut commissions rather than cut people.

My colleagues may think it unfair. It is unfair not tell us beforehand that we will not be getting our commissions for who knows until when, but the decision, it is, actually a good way to put things through. We sacrifice a little bit until this global crisis is resolved. That way at least, no one has to suffer in losing their job and picking up the pieces from where it leaves them off.