So the first time ever I was brutally honest on the employee survey, which meant No One ' faired well' all low scores, and then I was laid off . Coincidence?.
24 replies (most recent on top)
I have never written my true thoughts on a survey, until they asked about the forced hybrid office program. But even at that, i was mild in my comments. I've been here a long time, long enough to know better than to say anything really negative on a survey, or in a meeting, or an email. I've had over 20 managers i've reported to over the years. Only a handful are still with the company. The bottom line- they really don't care what we think if it isn't positive. I'm here to collect a paycheck and a pension, i'll tow the line until it doesn't pay off for me anymore... then i'll take all my degrees that they paid for, and work elsewhere.
And a word of advice for everyone reading this, if you aren't using the tuition reimbursement reconsider it. I have used that yearly 5k and collected degrees like classic cars over the years. That kind of investment they can never take from you in a RIF. -Anonymous
As a manager. I do not see your survey…I get a compilation of comments made and scores… now if you put in something specific or identifying…yes I can figure it out. Otherwise at the manager level it is anonymous…I can’t speak above me. I don’t know. And trust me as politely but clearly as possible we are speaking the truth also. Long Gone are the days when the former ceo literally read each survey!
I have told the truth on all of my surveys here and when I worked for a competitor and I have never been laid off. The truth isn’t positive either. I typed in vague comments that could not be tracked back to me. I know a former manager & she told me that the survey is anonymous. I was advised to make my comments vague so I did. I
We have not had a meeting yet about the survey nor have we discussed an action plan.
It's all about the money! They really do not care what you think of the company, you are not valued. You are just a means to their profits.
RIFS are absolutely NOT based on performance. They can go the ' write up' route and put in place30/60 day action plan. No severance for poor performance for whoever wrote that..
Where is the logic in ignoring or providing false narratives in the employee survey? You can be RIFed whether you say anything or not. You are a number. The only way to not be a number or chess piece is so say something. Those surveys are the reason we keep getting "best of" along with employee benefits that that tout. Which btw, we wouldn't need to keep increasing time off and mental health visits (free talkspace) if we had a decent culture.
My manager is amazing, but still tows the company line most of the time. I gave them glowing reviews because it's true. Everything including my written diatribe about how they're running it into the ground, I put in the survey. You know who actually knows it's me..my manager. It's nothing I don't say to them constantly already. I do it because I'm not playing their shell game. I will work for this company and try to make it better as long as they let me. It's probably ki-ling my physical and mental health but so many of you all aren't doing it. I don't care if I'm the only dissenting opinion in my entire org. The only people who will be shocked by my words are people who have never met me. And if some chief of tailored suits and golf wants to rif me or fire me, they were probably going to any way to make some quarterly budget. I'm a high performer because I don't know how to be anything else. They continue to try to rob me of my talents, physical health and mental health. But you know what, I'm still here and they're gonna know until I walk out that door, what kind of clown show they've been running since we became a global money machine instead of a company who values it's associates, providers and members.
You are right. This was a 10% budget reduction that was implemented differently across groups. It is sad that a budget exercise took precedence over people. It shows how low the organization has stooped. It is little comfort that there are leaders that recognize this and are ashamed.
As a former leader who knew this was coming, I want to correct something. This was NOT based on performance reviews. There is a push to eliminate middle levels of management and decrease silos, along with duplicate work efforts. Additionally, there is a desire to do work offshore as it's cheaper - operations costs needed to be cut, period. Now, at the leader level can you look at your lower performers, absolutely! However, from a budget perspective and in an effort to sustain operations, this may not always be the most feasible approach to saving the money your department needs to save. You have to strike the delicate balance between cutting people where you can but keeping the folks who are necessary to keep operations moving along.
“ I respectfully disagree that top performers wouldn’t go nuclear.”
Then …
“ Bottom line, like 99% of America I need my job, and no matter what anyone says on a survey it’s not stopping what’s started. ”
This Hypocrisy = Exceeds Expectation. Not sure why everyone is liking this mess. This is exactly the issue we are all complaining about.
I could have, maybe I should have. Bottom line, like 99% of America I need my job, and no matter what anyone says on a survey it’s not stopping what’s started. They don’t care what we say and they don’t take it to heart. The surveys will never be used to make things better, but they could potentially be used to eliminate the strongest opposition to their agenda.
Didn’t do survey … so didn’t go nuclear ☢️. Should a, would a, could don’t count.
I respectfully disagree that top performers wouldn’t go nuclear. I have been rated Exceeds or Significantly Exceeds consistently since 2017 and I didn’t do the survey because if I was honest, I would have gone hella-nuclear. I have so much to say about what’s going on and how they’re ruining the company I put my heart and soul into- the nuclear energy I would have put forth is directly related to my being a top performer. I care, and it shows in my performance. It would also show in my opinion of how they’re destroying what I care so much about.
the people saying the surveys are traced back to you are just not correct. layoffs are based on performance/value and/or how feasible it would be for your job to be done offshore/automation. yes, your manager can see the comments and sometimes put 2 and 2 together as to who they think said what but we have no way of tracing back specifically on who wrote it. i will say though that i think it would be rare that a top performer would go nuclear on the employee engagement survey.
The whole thing makes me want to quit & work for a competitor..... :( Or at the bare minimum quit & do something in a different industry....so tired of being overlooked for opportunity even though I feel I'm highly skilled, the politics, the BS, the list goes on & on....sigh.....
You don’t make the great places to work list by having associates that don’t think it’s a great place to work 🤔
Hard to say, but I think it might just be coincidental. My colleagues and I gave great scoring to our mgrs and the company, but we still got cut (including our mgrs).
If you type in comments on the survey it will be tracked back to you. Never use those surveys to vent.
I would say the first reply is from a management lurker trying to do damage control. Sure, speak you mind....yeah, folks who do that are asked to take down posts on Pulse. The only feedback they want is agreement. Anyone who thinks there is no co-inky di-k, well, I'd like to play poker with you.
Hey management lurker, don't you have some excess money to count?
The lists were compiled over the course of at least a couple of months. Additionally, they aren't scouring the employee surveys looking for unhappy employees to lay off. They are looking at budget sheets and performance reviews as well as the ability for the employee to adapt or be trained in new responsibilities. If they have to lay people off, they want to keep the people that can be agile and absorb existing tasks and responsibilities. Anyways, giving a bad survey isn't going to hurt anymore than a good survey is going to help you. Some departments were wiped out to the tune of 50%, so the fact that you were laid off this time is just a numbers game.
I'm pretty sure the lists were drawn up/decisions made ahead of the survey results. That said -- I agree with the posters saying that we shouldn't consider the surveys anonymous when we fill them out. I didn't fill mine out this year -- couldnt say anything nice and didn't want any retribution later on.
In our division we were literally told that t it would be 'inappropriate' to use the survey to make negative comments about our managers. My mouth literally dropped that they were so transparent that they only wanted positive responses and that there was this vague, veiled threat for anyone saying anything else
I know they can track it back to you but I don't care. I am totally sick of the way they are running us into the ground with stupid decisions on junk technology and massive layoffs. If you don't want to hear what we have to say as associates don't ask us. If I get laid off I'll find another job probably paying me more than I'm making. Or maybe I'll just do something different that is more satisfying then just signing up for another Corporate lawn!
Despite the premise of it being anonymous it is tied to your email so always assume with any company they can and will trace it back.
I did that at Capital One and was mysteriously laid off 4 months later, too.