The fizz is going?

Well, Santa Claus might have become the iconic Christmas figure that he is today thanks to Coca Cola. But even as Santa gets bigger and bigger, mood at Coca Cola, even in this festive atmosphere is anything but, “Ho Ho Ho!”

The reason? In the next few days, some 1000 to 2000 employees of the company are to be sacked, which many say is the biggest “thinning” over the past 15 years. With sales dropping, the company is worried and currently the management is on an austerity drive, cutting down all unwanted expenses to better margins. It is putting its pampered employees through some “tough” times – no more limousine services for them, they will have to use the humble taxi service. It has also decided to not have its legendary lavish Christmas party for the Wall Street analysts. No more pampering at the cost of the company – basically at is the bottomline.

With people growing health conscious, soda sales are dropping fast and for the time ever since it existence, Coca Cola does not know how to deal with it. The company has always enjoyed big profits and great time as be it recession or boom time, people always drank Coke. But that is changing fast and many employees say that this austerity drive is a huge ‘culture shock’ for many of them. The austerity drive also includes elimination of voice mail at its headquarters – employees are now urged to use email or cellphones if the employee at the other end does not pick up the call. Every small drop counts, that’s how Coke is currently looking at things.