In trying to develop contingency planning, the question that I have is "who will be left to do the work?"

If many Co.s and Corp.s close due to loss of material needs, employees will be forced to leave. Perhaps leave the area.

If the Banks can no longer function, how many employees will stay in the Nuclear Field, (to support Nuclear Power), if they know that they won't be paid?

If civil disturbances arise in the areas where employees live, should we expect that they would be loyal enough to come to work, if they can even get to work?

Contingency Planning requires that we "Run the Scenarios", to develop guidelines that will adequately address the possible ramifications of this Y2k crisis.

Respectfully,

Dave Jones

-- Anonymous, July 02, 1998

Answers

Dave, to answer you question in brief, individual responses to the anticipated effects of Y2k will all be based on a confidence level. It's a confidence game! Right now public confidence is high enough to keep the average citizen calm if not somewhat complacent. But as we approach the year 2000 and see problems arise within various industries (especially electric utilities)as anticipated, you will see the confidence level drastically change. This is a worldwide systematic problem. For obvious reasons, the mainstream thinking within corporate executive levels is to keep the confidence level high, keep the gaming going as long as possible. The only alternative is to be objectively honest and report your companys actual year 2000 compliancy progress and suffer the consequences, good or bad. Maybe in your work environment your corporate officers may be truly ignorant of the potential effects this chink in technologies armor may cause or, worse yet, intentionally quiet. Either way, talk with your co-workers, supervisors, and company executives. Get a "bead" on the y2k awareness atmosphere there. Ask until you get an answer and then look to sources of information other than just your work environment. You won't be found guilty of trying to be overly prepared. Don't let fear intimidate you. Fear of either Y2k effects or fear of what people would think. There is a God and I believe he is genuinely concerned for your welfare even if others may not seem to be. You'll find answers to your concerns.

-- Anonymous, July 08, 1998