8、辛苦多年的老财务退休了

8、辛苦多年的老财务退休了

Smith在Innovo工作了二十年，马上就要retire（退休）了。这二十年来，他见证了公司的growth（成长），经历了许许多多的hard times（艰难时刻）。他属于公司里性格不张扬，不刻薄的好人。也许是Smith处在这样一个与众多新人没有任何benefit conflict（利益冲突）的位置上的缘故，很多新人来到公司第一个熟悉的人就是他，他也以自己温和的temper（性情），和蔼的态度，和尊重每个员工的工作作风赢得了所有人的favor（好感），同时也成为公司内部极具authority（威信）的一个人。

尊重是mutual（双方面的）并且是interactive（互动的）。在一个公司里，一个长者对一个新人抱着尊重的态度，会激发新人的工作热情，营造一种轻松的work environment（工作环境）。当然大多数的领导都是保持着一种领导者的威严attitude，这种姿态在一个公司里也是必须的，这会使命令更容易得到carry out（执行），因为执行者会很容易考虑到执行不利所要面临的境况。

Without a doubt，Smith属于前者。Smith并不desire for（热衷于）最高管理层的位置，而管理层恰恰又需要像他这样品行的人，于是他就出现在最适合他的位置上了。员工遇到问题都愿意向他请教，而他也与人为善地尽心尽力帮助解决，同时也使管理层及时准确掌握了公司operation（运行）的状况。他起着一种连接普通员工与管理层的bridge（桥梁）的重要作用。

就是这样一个人要离开Innovo，回家颐养天年去了。Smith的离开，对于普通员工来说是缺少了一个psychological support（心理的依靠），而对管理层而言，则少了一个可以及时掌握员工动态的窗口。尽管大家都不愿意，但日历上标记Smith离职的日期已就在眼前了，Nancy也为此伤感起来。

在Smith退休离职的前夕，Innovo为他召开了Retirement Party（退休欢送会），会上，Johnson代表公司全体成员向他致欢送辞：

Welcome, everyone, to this very special occasion. And a bitter-sweet occasion it is.

It's very sad to be saying goodbye to Smith. But at the same time, we know that he leaves us in good shape and — going now — he's got the chance to enjoy all that hard earned pension before the government gets its hands on it! I am sure that the rest of us who have to work into their eighties will have plenty of time to mull this over.

Ever since he joined us all those years ago — how many are there? 17, 18? Smith has been a pillar in this particular company. Or perhaps I should say a rock — since it was he who helped build the very foundations that have made this firm such a success. And who but Smith would have had the fortitude to deal with the slings and arrows that have assailed us? Not just the economic and industrial issues, but all those moves. He puts his success down to Mrs Baker's fortifying tea and cakes but I think we all know that it stemmed from his utter commitment to our work and to our people. He has indeed been part of the lifeblood of this company!

This company will be a much emptier place without him, but it will be an honor to take up the baton as his successor and I promise to try and live up to his extraordinarily high standards.

Although we are saying goodbye to Smith, this will not be the last we see him. After all he's only retiring not leaving for a long time or joining a Trappist community. He has already agreed to join us at the next golfing day and I am sure that we will be turning to him for words of wisdom. And I know you all look forward to hearing about all his holiday exploits when he and Elisabeth return from Thailand!

On a final note, Smith, I would like to wish you all the very best on behalf of all of us. We really hope you have a wonderful trip to wherever! Good luck and let us all now raise our glasses to "Smith's new life of Reilly"!