Laying people off?

Well, I have a shitty week coming up but at least I still have a job.... I've been going back and forth between volunteering or not but with a 5 month old and my wife having 0 chance of getting insurance I'm staying for the time being. These are top performers, in any other company or team within the company they'd be safe but since we're an 'elite' team some of the best of the best have to go and there's no room to move them to other teams (everyone has a number to meet).

I'd be curious to hear about others' experiences on either side of a major layoff, what worked and what didn't. What we can say to them is very scripted and there's a generous package but it's still hard to let friends and co-workers go. I'll be able to have real conversations with them after the dirty work is done.

Similar thing happened to me at Cisco back in 2001, I'd only been there 3 months and even though I was doing well I knew the writing was on the wall. My boss pulled me in on Friday and told me I was 100% safe and on Monday (after letting me sit through the Monday morning meeting) he told me the list had been expanded over the weekend. It was really the best work related thing that ever happened to me. They paid me to take the summer off and go fishing, I'd just separated from my wife at the time and me and my girlfriend (my current wife) took a couple weeks and went fishing in Montana.

Part of the reason I moved back from GA 2 years ago.

The sequester was looming and working at Lockheed (being 100% govt funded) I was nervous about layoff. At one point there was 200+ under me, when I left I was #32 from the bottom of the list. An opportunity opened here, so I jumped.

The scary part is that I'm closer to a layoff currently than I ever was down there, luckily I moved to QA about a year ago and that allows me a better level of protection, also, non Union here, so I am more than just a number.

in related news, my wife was downsized last week...but the good part is that she can dedicate all of her time to the 10 month old now.

2001, I didn't think I'd be in the layoff, wrong. Boss called @ 8:15am, never hear from the guy usually. I told my co-workers it was nice working with them. Last they saw me.

Offer package on the desk, can't tell you what it is, take it or leave it. Sign here on the form. $8000 check, severance. Turns out it's listed as a "Bonus" on the taxes and IRS got %50 of it. f*ckers.

We are pushed out the back stairwell loading dock, told to follow the line of people walking over to the Marriott tech center where they had counselors and job recruiters to help us. Along with some additional stuff later on. All of it ended up being not worth a dang.

I worked my ass off for that fortune 500. O'well. Move along, eventually landed where I'm at now with government agency that has been challenging to work for. Shut up, do my work and go home.

Wow, that sounds like a shitty experience, sorry that's the way it worked out.

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Originally Posted by gnihcraes

2001, I didn't think I'd be in the layoff, wrong. Boss called @ 8:15am, never hear from the guy usually. I told my co-workers it was nice working with them. Last they saw me.

Offer package on the desk, can't tell you what it is, take it or leave it. Sign here on the form. $8000 check, severance. Turns out it's listed as a "Bonus" on the taxes and IRS got %50 of it. f*ckers.

We are pushed out the back stairwell loading dock, told to follow the line of people walking over to the Marriott tech center where they had counselors and job recruiters to help us. Along with some additional stuff later on. All of it ended up being not worth a dang.

I worked my ass off for that fortune 500. O'well. Move along, eventually landed where I'm at now with government agency that has been challenging to work for. Shut up, do my work and go home.

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That really stinks, especially when you know you are losing good hard working individuals that probably cannot be replaced. Thankfully I will never be in that position. I cannot imagine working for a company where that is even a possibility. Glad you made it through this round of layoffs, and hopefully there won't be anymore.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gnihcraes

2001, I didn't think I'd be in the layoff, wrong. Boss called @ 8:15am, never hear from the guy usually. I told my co-workers it was nice working with them. Last they saw me.

Offer package on the desk, can't tell you what it is, take it or leave it. Sign here on the form. $8000 check, severance. Turns out it's listed as a "Bonus" on the taxes and IRS got %50 of it. f*ckers.

We are pushed out the back stairwell loading dock, told to follow the line of people walking over to the Marriott tech center where they had counselors and job recruiters to help us. Along with some additional stuff later on. All of it ended up being not worth a dang.

I worked my ass off for that fortune 500. O'well. Move along, eventually landed where I'm at now with government agency that has been challenging to work for. Shut up, do my work and go home.

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I know you're a good guy......that sucks. :(

Thanks everyone. All is good, things worked out. I've made great new friends with the current employer and it pays the bills if you can deal with some of the .gov bs. :)

That's cool, Man.

My company is pretty famous for what it calls "Talent Upgrades," every couple years they lay off one person from each department with the intention of refilling their space with new hires. My department has 3 teams, each one lost a person. One of those teams then took a guy from my team to fill their spot.

It was a pretty terrifying experience, I found myself holding back a panic attack when it happened 5 months ago. It signaled a big change in our team. We were happy people last fall, but when that happened in November, we all got really depressed and we haven't bounced back. I love the people I work with, and my direct management, but we all pretty much despise our upper management as a result of that and other decisions they've made, openly criticizing them amongst ourselves.

You're a good guy too, Ridge. It sucks what corporate entities do to DECENT PEOPLE...in the name of bottom line type stuff....fukers.