Over a month has passed since my last blog post, and a lot has happened in that time. My ever-present excuse for this annual absence is that I’m in retail and am therefore crazy busy between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The fact that I haven’t actually held a retail position for over 10 years notwithstanding. (Of course, I could always use the “I-have-six-kids” defense, but that is so overused these days.)

About two weeks ago, Best Buy announced that it is offering voluntary severance packages to virtually all its corporate employees (including me). Much ado has been made of this, both in the media and here at Best Buy. So before sharing my own opinions, let me clarify a few points:

- Right now, leaving the company is voluntary.  Each individual employee chooses whether this is the right move for him/ her. We all have eyes wide open that this is the first move in what will undoubtedly be a big change, but for the moment, the choice is in our hands.

- Separation plans were offered to about 4000 employees, which is virtually the entire corporate office. This does not mean that 4000 people will be out of a job. As a company, we are reinventing the way we manage the business, and that means streamlining work with fewer positions. However, I am sure this doesn’t mean that the company will run itself next year.

- This move is not taking place to enrich senior executive paychecks. Seriously. No one is enjoying this, it’s not making anyone rich. And that’s all I have to say about that.

Now on to what I had to say in the first place: my own thoughts and opinions…

First,  I am so thankful that through this process, our leadership has remained true to our company values. Values are a big thing to me; perhaps I’ll blog on that topic another time. Some people may feel like company values are just words on paper, but I certainly believe they are real. And that they direct the future of Best Buy.

That said, one of our values is “unleash the power of our people.” We truly do work to enable each individual to do their best – and we believe that their best will benefit the company and themselves.

I see this value being demonstrated right now. The power is in the hands of each of us. We determine our destinies. The word “voluntary” pretty much sums that up.

Second, I feel like this company respects me. They explained the situation to me. They told me about this in person. They told me before any rumors had a chance to start. They gave me a generous opportunity to start a new path in my life. They put the choice in my hands. And they continue to offer me support and resources to help make my decision. So, while a few people have suggested that I should feel hurt or betrayed, I just don’t. I feel honored.

And finally, I’ll say that, more than ever, I love this place. I have spent nearly my entire adult life here. The long hours have been worth it. My hard work has helped fuel the company’s success. And my passion for Best Buy’s future success has not waned. In fact, it has grown stronger. I feel that I have more work to accomplish, more people to help, and more of myself to offer here.

Of course, I am quite aware that my passion and work doesn’t guarantee my future here. In these times, nothing is guaranteed. I completely understand that.

Meanwhile, my mind remains fixed on one thought: My work here is not done yet.

So right now, I will continue to give it all I’ve got. Every day.