Incredibly sad, but not surprised to hear what is happening to Fisher-Price.
Since acquiring FP, Mattel has burdened this once great company with its price value su-king cost structure. Just like a parasite, pillaging and su-king profits till there is nothing left. It’s such a shame. I feel for all the employees having to go through this…it certainly isn’t their fault.
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This thread is gold. Brings back the old east-is-better-than-west arguments from a few years ago.
(Reappears with fake glasses and mustache) “Hey you guys are being real immature!”
Yeah, I’m gonna call a troll a troll. Sorry to sully the otherwise unimpeachable fount of clarity, wisdom, and good faith that is the layoff dot com.
You guys are too much…
Know when to stop.
You’re jamming the feed.
Looks like the unempathetic troll has finally left the building!
@8hwx+1r3edc83 Lmao! Hey buddy, speak for your own phlegm ba--s! At least my phlegm ba--s have the decency not to personally blame hard-working people for getting laid off through no fault of their own by a corporation trying to make a quick buck.
The troll in this thread speaks with as much charisma and empathy as the ball of phlegm I coughed out today
Well said last poster!!!
“Being a realist and fully capable of planning my next move without having an emotional outburst on an anonymous website actually does make my parents proud” is a very funny thing to crow into said anonymous website.
How else would we know how much better than us “triggered” losers if you weren’t hanging around here to remind us constantly?
The fact of the matter is that you clearly are unable to discern between a lack of empathy vs name calling. I was purely stating a fact, you lack empathy. Having personally experienced a layoff early on in my career, I sympathize with anyone going through this unfortunate event. Everyone bucks up it’s called survival, but empathy is what gets us through it. Unfortunately, it is obviously lacking sometimes where it is needed most.
Actually you asked why I was posting on this site and stated I had a lack of empathy.
Not knowing me at all, or if I’ve been laid off.
Being a realist and fully capable of planning my next move without having an emotional outburst on an anonymous website actually does make my parents proud.
Your immediacy to being triggered by simple facts like “at will employment” and infusing childish name calling must make you feel great about yourself (don’t worry I won’t bring your parents into this).
Good luck out there…you seem great
Actually, I have worked for numerous companies that have tremendous empathy.
When I was referring to a lack of empathy I was referring specifically to you. Your parents must be so proud.
Because this site isn’t for empathy? Neither is corporate America.
@OP+1r3edc83 why are you even posting on this site? You lack any sense of empathy. Please take your robotic prophetic ignorance elsewhere!
Before it chews you up and spits you out, yes. And vice versa. The relationship between this company and its workers is at will, both ways. You choose to stay, this comes with it.
Wow, so if an asset is slowly crippled by its parent company and over time it can no longer be competitive, best to chew it up and then sp-t it out?
If an asset isn't making money, then yeah, sell it off.
@6mrz+1r3edc83 In the era of leveraged buyouts and private equity vultures, it’s a little naive to assume that they wouldn’t.
It's a little naive to think a company would want any of its assets to fail.
Exceptionally well said last poster! Yes, abrasiveness does rear its ugly head yet again. Every employee affected is aware of the way of the world and the need to be an agile and portable asset. It’s abrasiveness, ignorance and a lack of empathy that ought not be allowed, especially in those individuals who don’t realize that they are wildly misguided in their choice of words.
@5xfb+1r3edc83 your comment is so abrasive. yes change is to be expected and modern company culture requires you to always be on your toes (there is a different conversation to discuss the ethics of this climate of instability as opposed to allowing hard workers to have a full career in one location). But these comments are filled with people who worked for FP for 25, 30+ years, and probably could have worked at FP until retirement. They’re professionals who have a life, family, and friends tied to their profession. Anger and betrayal here against the company for this decision is completely justified. I’m sure many of the people here will “bounce back”, as you put it, but they’re still allowed to voice their frustrations without some yahoo coming in and telling them that it’s their fault for being inflexible to the customers demands.
Amazed at how many people here think they are promised a job for life, that things never change, that demands and wants of customers don't change. People should be most focused on your skill set, your network, your health/stamina to have a long career, attitude, and your ability to make things happen in your space. Your skills and you are portable. It's the way of the current world to be agile and a portable asset. If you think a for profit company owes you your life, you are wildly misguided, And, outwardly, it ages you and your attractiveness as a candidate. With every crisis there is an opportunity. Coming through hot in this feed is fear, anger and inability to bounce back.
Yes, it was a different time back then. Tablets and apps have impacted the industry, thankfully parents are realizing the negative impact of electronics when introduced to early to soon. Trends shift all the time, it doesn’t take away from the fundamental issue that created FP’s slow decline…its inability to be cost competitive.
ever paused to think that mattel was a better/different company 30 years ago, just like fp? kids attention has shifted to electronics. toy companies not only have to compete with each other, they have to compete with tablets and apps.
What stands out the most about FP is having had the pleasure to work alongside the most creative, talented and hard working people in the industry and boy did we know how to have fun! My hats off to all of you…it was a great ride! As for Mattel leadership, moving forward, try not to fu-k up anymore peoples lives with your poor business acumen.
FP’er for 35 years. Mattel slowly has bled us to death and dissolved the magic
I also worked at FP for over 30+ years and yes those things are true, but the new costing system and overhead burden that we were saddled with under the Mattel system made it impossible to be competitive. We were then told to be innovative and that would compensate for our inability to be cost competitive. That worked until we got knocked off for less by our competitors. Mattel needed to let us function as we were prior to being acquired and we would have made more than enough profit to satisfy their needs. Unfortunately, that’s not how we were managed. Where FP and sadly AG are today is the result of that harsh reality.
Cool story bro
I worked at FP for 30 + years. I thought that being acquired by Mattel was a good thing. After being let go by quaker oats we were in a tail spin. Mattel gave us the coin to buy new computers and the team center. Better communication was created by this. Better raises and stock options helped my family enjoy a better life style.
Goes without saying last poster. The difference being whether a parent company understands and initiates the appropriate business model for continued growth vs a slow demise. But thanks for your enlightening words.
No company is the same as it was 30 years ago. As the world around us changes, you either lead those changes or adapt to those changes.
@2wwl+1r3edc83 Hear hear! If you have ever cashed a paycheck from Mattel, you are also personally responsible for every decision ever made by Mattel’s leadership and have forfeited the right to ever complain about anything. Finally someone had the guts to say it! I’m gonna go tell the security guards and janitorial staff and what I think of their decision to do mass layoffs in the same year as huge stock buybacks.
“Whining about it in the bathroom or in a chat doesn’t count.” Well, we’re all grateful you took time out of your busy schedule to chime in on said chat to tell us how much better and smarter than all of us you are.
Last poster, do you have any idea what it was like to work at FP before Mattel acquired them? Then why don’t you take your righteous attitude elsewhere or perhaps do the right thing and show some compassion and empathy given what is happening at FP and elsewhere. It was only a matter of time and Mattel’s leadership failed to recognize that quality/iconic brands like FP under Mattel’s high overhead/costing structure was doomed to eventually fail. You can’t expect to sell a sh-t load of cr-p for a high price and call it price value. That is exactly what happened to FP, over time, since Mattel acquired them.
Let’s be perfectly clear about one thing, rather than suggest that “shaming or whining” is happening we focus on the truth.
When you say 'Mattel ki-led a brand,' who exactly are you talking about? Because if your paycheck had or has the red starburst on it, you were part of that. If you whined about not getting promoted regardless of whether there was budget, or took your raises and bonuses that weren't based on growth but based on cost cutting and gutting the quality brands you really have no right to complain. Your biggest bonus years were years doing the greatest damage. So stop your 'shaming' and looking down your nose. If you're still there and still complaining, change it, get over yourself, or vote with your feet. Whining about it in the bathroom or in a chat doesn't count.
what's the layoff comp now a days? Back in 2016 when I was canned I got about 40 weeks pay...That's after being there 28 years
It is also AG aka American Girl. The announcement made while the person delivering the news was laughing and explaining that there are new things to come. Not a shock. Mattel has been focusing on Barbie while destroying FP and AG. Yvon doesn't care about these other companies but loves bragging about all he has done for Mattel. Shame.
It was AG as well I heard
What’s the betting line in Vegas for who’s next? MEGA or AG?
Just planning ahead for ways to supplement for my eventual and mediocre layoff compensation.