#highperformer

We barely have layoffs anymore. Yes, there are PIPs, but if you're good and a high-performer, you have nothing to be worried about. Frankly, I've never felt safer here than I do right now.

Failing forward over and over and over! He knows nothing about Core - epic failure! And we decide to give him a segment that was making progress?!? Him and his band of losers he drags around will ki-l this segment too. High performers won’t stay under his watch. Nice job Fiserv!!! Oh and ask clients, major dislike across bank and credit union!!! No credibility! Get out if you’re a high performer

How do you drop the best reservoir engineer in the US like that? Feels like a race to last after that move.

Think of someone you know that is extremely talented and experienced. Not the kind you look at and say “yeah, they’re pretty good”, but the kind you look at and wonder how they even do it. People of that caliber were let go today, so whatever happens, know it probably has nothing to do with your performance or you personally, it’s not your fault. Hold your head high and welcome the next chapter.

My peers who were let go were the highest contributors.

This does not make sense what so ever.

the most overlooked dynamics in a toxic workplace is the clash between a high performer and a su-ky mgr…

on paper, it doesnt make sense. Here u have someone who is proactive… engaged, and solution-oriented reporting to someone who should want exactly that. But the tension isn’t really about intent… it’s about how they fu--ing operate.

Hi performers focus on outcomes. they question inefficiencies and suggest improvments…. Su-ky ineffective managers, on the other hand focus on control. they avoid risk, interpret questions as pushback, and spend way too much energy covering for their own shortcomings.

so when a high performer tries to make things better, the manager doesn’t hear the idea. they hear that they’re doing something wrong…that’s where the toxic cycle begins. instead of engaging with the idea or the solution their focus shifts to the person presenting it.

from there, it usually goes one of two ways. the high performer keeps pushing, keeps offering ideas, and gets labeled as difficult. Or they go silent, stop questioning, stop contributing beyond what’s asked, and get labeled as disengaged and utter sh-t.

from the outside, both look like problems. but they’re not. they’re what happens when confidence meets insecurity.

if you’re a high performer at WFB dealing with this, the right environment won’t make you feel like you need to shrink just to survive or be effective…

I've seen several rounds of cuts now. And I still don't get how they pick who goes. Because time after time, the ones who get cut are the people who carried the team. The ones who went above and beyond, who stayed late, who kept things running. The heart of the team gets ripped out. And the people who do nothing stay.

The best people being kicked out again? When I was let go last year, what was left of our team was a joke. Just a few a-s-kissers. I wonder how that worked out for them. I hope things are better and at least they're getting rid of actual low performers this time, but I doubt it.

Poof. Even amid massive layoffs, they've managed to target quality.

They've been getting rid of the people who knew what they were doing, and consistently holding on to average performers. The remaining competent people are forced to take on most of the leftover workload, while slackers have the time of their lives. It's not only a management failure, it's a conscious decision at the top. The only reason people put up with it is because of the terrible job market. Sooner or later, however, something will have to give.

It seems like the people who can’t walk and chew gum at the same time remain blissfully employed at OpenText.

I received a great review and an above average merit increase. I was laid off.

I was the only person on my team who could do half of our tasks. I rarely missed work and was in the midst of a major project that was ahead schedule.

I saw many other high performers let go.

Even though being laid off su-ks, I am happy to be off the sinking ship.

Oh by the way, directors and above new was getting axed in January, if not sooner.

LOL "executives will be forced to take a 20% paycut" is the joke that keeps giving.

Maybe we get some executives that are competent and know how to communicate across teams.

Some very talented people were let go that were high performers. Very sad.

Veteran. High performer. Unique skillset. None of it matters. It's about the money. Skill and experience cost more, so they'll keep the slacker and cut the person who actually knows what they're doing. Meaning all that hard work you put in? That was for you. This company was never going to appreciate it.

Whenever there are talks about cuts, it's always the exceptional performer, the ones who delivered at critical times are on the chopping block instead of the ones coasting breezily.

The reason???
Majority of slackers (you know who you are) won't be affected by the change, but there could be a few who will think this as a wake up call and step up.

And being a top performer, the corporate would think you'll land on your feet somewhere else even after being cut off.

That's a classic tale tell strategy, after 16 years at fidelity and close to retiring, that's one hard but honest truth

And I still out-perform my ‘coworkers’. And we’re surprised about layoffs?

Steve said that we achieved 100% on the goals for the Annual Incentive Plan and that it would be funded at 100%. and I quote: "it means there's enough money to pay the entire company 100%, but not everybody is going to get 100%. Some people will get less, some people will get more. We've been talking about establishing a high performance culture. I am pushing the management and leadership team to make sure we differentiate. So, if you're a top performer, you should expect more than 100%. That's what our management team has to do. We're not gonna just spread the funds out amongst the whole company. Were going to recognize the top performers."

They cost too much. It's that simple. Companies prioritize immediate savings over quality and short-term gains over long-term health. That’s the core reason we’re in a downward spiral, and it will almost certainly get worse. There's no vision. No grand plan. Just a relentless scramble to cut costs and funnel money to the top for as long as possible.

Top performers are a threat to weak management. If the company was smart-they would reward their hard workers. They can’t because of this. They are too threatened that those below them are smarter than they are. Intelligence will get you in the door-but Optum is too threatened to keep you.

How many times have we seen that already? Being good at your job just puts a target on your back. They don't want good, they want cheap.

I’ve heard that some FTEs who are no longer with Truist were dismissed due to compliance issues. This is surprising, as several of them were high performers and strong contributors to Truist. Can someone shed light on what compliance issues led to these FTEs being terminated?

Have been working for Citi 25 years. Managed to be spared from all the lay off waves in the past, because I was always at the lower end of the pay-scale. 2025 was one of my most productive years with managing 3 projects on top of my BAU work by working over 60 hours a week. End of this summer my manager who knew exactly what I was doing - like all managers ought to- got laid off. My year end was given by the MD who did not even know what I accomplished and particularly does not like me. I got all 3sat year end, when I had assessed myself with mostly 2s.
I have been a high performer, I don’t even remember getting all 3s ever. And my bonus was cut by 27% compared to last year. Slap to the face.
Before you say “don’t cry me a river”, I just wanted to say this is not the company I started 25+ years ago. I always knew I was nothing more than a number but I still liked the place I worked. Last few years It became toxic, management ruthless, and an unpleasant place to spend my 10+ hours a day.
Yesterday I sent an email requesting to be in the RIF list so I can have another start.
My department is not targeted and not sure if they will lay me off with a package.
Maybe mid year, who knows, but there is not a drop of motivation left in me.
Hopefully one less person gets to keep their job while I sail to new open seas….

One thing people don’t talk about enough is how being a top performer can actually trap you. Some managers don’t want to lose someone who makes them look good, so movement quietly stalls. That’s when you realize you’re on your own and have to speak up beyond your direct chain - which is always a double-edged sword. This is a constant thing at Wells Fargo but few people mention it.

I, along with roughly 140 other employees, was laid off yesterday. This came just two weeks after being told by my department lead that while R&D was over budget, my role was safe.

Many of those impacted were considered high performers and had strong year-end reviews. This makes the decision feel less about performance and more like a short-sighted attempt to offset missed earnings targets.

A significant number of those let go were among the highest-paid employees on their teams, often with stronger stock and benefits packages. At the same time, the company continues to publicly boast about plans to hire 700 additional employees this year.

Cutting experienced, higher-cost employees to replace them with cheaper labor appears to be the new strategy at Axon.

Were you a high performer that got laid off?

That is what has been happening every single time. Great people with plenty of experience and institutional knowledge get kicked out. I never understood how that can be considered a good business strategy. I know they want to cut costs, but when you get rid of one person who then has to be replaced by two or three people to do the same job, how is that cheaper?

If the execs had any clue how many core employees on their “critical initiatives” are just weeks away from working at another company, they’d lose it. The people holding this place together are the ones leaving, and they have no backup plan for that.

So many people are hanging on to hope of change to RTO that if 5x RTO bleeds into next year they’re in for a rude awakening, and when they realize their mistake as late as they usually do it’ll be too late. Once you leave toxic T nothing can bring you back. Nobody is willing to accept 5x RTO when they can work remote or hybrid for a better company who actually respects them. The job market is opening back up, so FAFO is about to hit hard.

What will you do when all the high performers walk or retire and you’re stuck with a bunch of duds nobody else wants? Good luck!

How's everyone's sessions been going? Getting forced to give at least 5% lowers? Gonna be a fun message to deliver to whoever gets short end of stick even if you have a team of high performers, who probably are doing more after the recent cuts.

It's obvious Shell is just trying to increase the attrition rate beyond what the proper re-orgs are already doing.

I was a case manager for IOL 2020 layoffs, long since left. My tips for yall trying to survive:

1.) Mobility, max
2.) High Performers with salaries ABOVE grade not necessarily safe with intent being cost cutting.
3.) Experienced hires, good luck.

Judging from what people have been reporting, the better you were at your job, the more essential you were to a project, the more experienced and skilled, the higher your chances of being laid off. I guess quality is expensive. I just wonder where the breaking point is, when everything will finally fall apart, seemingly all at once.

From another thread:

900 Calgary campus employees gone. The remaining folks will be shipped to the manufacturing sites primarily Strathcona (Edmonton).

Some site folks (non wage) are to be replaced by higher performing folks from the Calgary move. Redundant positions especially in the mid to higher CLs at the sites to be replaced with Calgary folks that have been working global roles.

I’m willing to bet my paycheck that we will not lose bad performers, but some of our best people. They’ll grab onto this opportunity (read: excuse) to lay off people with higher pay (meaning, people with the most experience and knowledge who’ve been here a while) and replace them with cheaper hires. Sad but most likely true.

So many posts about managers stealing credit.

But what no one talks about these days is why managers are ONLY giving opportunities to individuals who are in the same region as themselves to show off while pushing high performing associates into oblivion??

Is this some some toxic tactic to frustrate associates into quitting?

Years of dedication and results don’t seem to matter anymore. It’s demoralizing for those of us left behind, to say the least. Knowing that hard work means nothing is certainly not a morale booster.

If your paycheck is bigger than most, brace yourself. Management doesn’t care about loyalty. They’ll cut the highest-paid first without blinking. It’s frustrating, unfair, and exhausting. Keep your resume ready and don’t kid yourself thinking it won’t happen to you.

Rewards are over and Microsoft will now (again) move into performance based layoffs where they will be cutting under performers flagged from this and past reviews. M5 level meetings are happening and have been scheduled. If you scored a 80 or below you are at risk this round. And keep in sight that managers were trained that 80 is considered performing as you are asked, nothing more. It’s clear they are on a mission to retain high performers only , the piece they are missing is that most high performers are not high performers…just good at the social game.