Some of my colleagues got RIF'd and they were hard working, great people. How does vz decide who to lay off? Does it really have to do with performance?
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If that aint management speak?, I don't know what is...They will go far in this organization...
HR can be a powerful tool for those who "know how to play the game".... Your manager knows how to play.. So does their boss... They lie to them while you are afraid to talk. Learn how to use HR as a tool instead of a therapy session. Showing that you will not be bullied and arent afraid to play will save you alot of trouble in the workplace.
Depends, and I agree - go to HR and see how long you last. This company among many others are ageist - that too will get you your walking papers.
http://wfae.org/post/dozens-companies-are-using-facebook-exclude-older-workers-job-ads
Go ahead and talk to HR...then see what your career path looks like.
I spoke to some of our HR AI people about the decision and learned a couple new things.
Anyone who reviews others knows that the formula is used to rank a team so the order of the chopping block is always clear. Last hired, first fired is common. If we analyze all the people labeled as the lowest performer in a group you'll notice a glaring problem. The most-talented ambitious employees will find it almost impossible to connect with a mentor figure of equal or greater value than the manager. Those relationships neutralize manager bias. Without them, we end up with a situation where the ugly goats eat the prettiest and most exotic flowers in the garden. Future leaders without mentors are lone wolves in a predatory environment trolled by packs who block access to mentors (safety) on purpose. But when it comes to interns, the strategy is switched of course.
Verizon gives college interns access to vital mentor connections for their learning experience instead of real earned merits. The future leaders who got in without the intern funnel and have earned real merits doing actual work in the wild get ZERO opportunities to connect with mentor figures. And so the cycle of talent mismanagement and merit-less advancement continues!
I learned HR kinda messed up the performance measure for layoffs by adding flags to detect manager bias patterns. They don't compensate future leaders for stolen value or protect them from ugly goats who ruin the garden. Verizon ends up cutting off an arm when they only needed to cut a finger. Managers now run the risk of being laid with the targeted employee. Its unfair and frustrating but it helped explain whats happening. My advice to anyone in this situation is to talk about it with HR and tell the manager why you did it. It will convey that you arent vulnerable and pose a risk when not handled properly
As we know, VDSI current management is worst and Organization is being running by group of stupid fellows. So don’t waste your time to criticize such stupid fellows. You have plenty of opportunities in the market. Try out seriously and come out from VDSI at earliest. Don’t wait for your turn to layoff. Don’t suggest VDSI to your relatives and friends. Someone should share this URL with Lowell.
Makes sense although one can see that if you and the mgr don't jive then start packing.
Mgrs complete a matrix for each employee. Each employee of the same job code / responsibilities is rated on the same factors. The factor ratings are then combined into a weighted average. Certain factors weigh more than others.
They put those w/ lowest weighted averages into the RIF pool until the target reduction is met. HR then reviews the RIF pool to minimize any potential legal issues. At that point, HR may ask that certain RIF candidates be replaced w/ an alternate (ex. If all of the original RIF candidates were minorities) .
Factors and weighted averages vary and can be based on many things such as skill sets, productivity, location, etc...
couple of layoffs in my team were due to performance and issues with management and co workers
In our group it has always been all about performance so far. This last time involved location too.
I make well over 100K and been with the company over 20 years (non-management position). I've made it through many a RIFfing, so I doubt it has anything to do with time, age, or salary. I would imagine the decision is solely a manager decision. I know for my manager, he has been forced to let someone go and it was a very hard decision for him (he lost a lot of sleep over it). Another manager I had was under a lot of stress thinking he had to pick someone and ended not having to since we were already way under staffed. I have also heard of people getting the option to volunteer for the RIF.
The layoff in the Bed NOC is based on issue with management. I know of several high performing techs that were layoff for being to vocal with management.
From what I see and experience Its usually the newest in the group that gets impacted if it is a normal kind of group of professionals. Takes away the incentive to do other things here because you don't want to be the newest in the group. Seen it again and again
Every year your manager gives you one of three rankings; leading, performing or developing. What most don’t know is Managers Directors etc are required to provide HR additional rankings or “categories.” These categories are weighted and employees never get to see them.
These hidden categories along the three you’re told about give you a “score” which is used to rank you. It’s common practice employers used to protect themselves.
They start with the VP and give him a number. ( Example, 10%) VP then sends that down to ED, and that gets passed to the Directors. Directors then hand that down to the Managers. Managers provide their names to make up the %. It has nothing to do with age, performance or years of service...it has to do with your Manager. If he is a douche bag and doesn’t like you...then that is how you got selected. In very rare cases I have seen the Director/ ED step in and make a change. Also on a few occasions they may target a system that has no further use and associated team. This will help at a ED level when allocating the % for the Directors and downward. It is that simple....
No. It has nothing to do with performance. I was layed off in 2011. I was 450+ % of plan with the highest quota in the company and made President's Club. It was stolen from me because of the fear of the new management which inherited my account and then discovered I closed 31 amendments the prior year. When 50% of your plan is based on billing, when they axe you, they thieves get to keep the spoils. That is the God honest truth. I do not care if they care get my IP or whatever, they know who I am, it is not that hard to figure it out. I gave them enough clues.
The main reasons the majority are RIF's at Verizon is two reason, 1) Fear 2) Politics
They are too afraid to say, it is not my Team, I did a sh--ty job and should be at the front of the line!!!
I wish you well.
@1eqx. Nailed it! All true. In other news I'm was sorry to hear Hans' Dad Charles Manson died today.
Some people reading this post probably has had to RIF an employee in the past, I know for sure a manager that RIF’d me in November 2016 has been RIF’d himself during this November’s RIFathon. Maybe if he reads this he can explain why I was selected, as like most of you posting lately, I had no blemishes on my records, my performance and peer reviews were outstanding and I always exceeding my trading hours when my peers usually had to be reminded at the end of the year to catch up.
I guess I work for a good boss. I am over 50 and make of $100k. It was real hard for the person to be selected since our whole team has been working very well together and hard workers too. But someone had to go and the one person did have a developing from a manager or two ago. That is the only thing we can tell. I also believe that they hit all of us just before the holidays so they can hire more sales to get more customers. I have seen the lost positions posted in the early months of the following year. They can't get all this work done with those of us left. Also I agree no matter how good you are, if you are the thorn in the managers side you will be a target. Take the S_ and smile and do what you are told. Doesn't mean your and A kisser it means this is what business is all about. KEep the work place moving with very little grief.
I feel there are different factors depending on what department you work in. I think we all can agree that if you are over 50, making higher than most salary, and/or been in your job role for a while then your chances of getting Rif'd is very high. In training, if you not buddies with your manager then beware. In IT and tech, if your speaking up about the failed solutions or present issues that leaders don't want to adknowledge then you will be on their list. In retail, if you don't fit into the Abercombie & Fitch type of hip hop culture they have tried to implement in stores then your leaders will not want you. The reality is the company has no identity. They are trying anything and everything to see what works. Competitors are winning big and leadership don't know what to do to survive. I have read alot of posts on here related to Rif'd employees who had filed FMLA claims in the past. Would be very interesting to see if there is any connection there.
Over 50 and making over 100K......PERIOD
Magic 8 ball
In the Training dept., if the VP is threatened by you or if you're not a s----up, you're gone!!
-nim is correct on the mechanics: from the top down, each level has a certain number or percentage to cut.
-ehh and -lfk describe the practical implications of this method, as it depends on built-in trust of the each lower level of management, and there are no checks against management.
My experience in the last 3 years Rif's is there is a target on non-college degree people with the company a long time making into the $100k+ per year, someone could say over 50 years old with a mark on their performance reviews for some reason make a person a target. Or, the boss just doesn't like you. Once your card is flipped, it's over. Take the money and run knowing there are others in the same boat. Also for the most part the company is very poorly managed with poor or no forward looking or planning into the future. Better off gone than waiting for the next round of cuts in January.
Typically it can be results. But at times it's cause you are the highest paid. Sometimes they don't like you or you're not likeable. Can be people that are bad for morale. Targeting long time employees is not uncommon cause you have so much vacation time they can hire someone for less that will work 3 or 4 more weeks actually year than you do.
Each level is given a number to cut. So while it is fun to imagine all sorts of reasons, there really is self-interest in each manager keeping those that he/she believes (rightly or wrongly) will make the group look good. So yes, a manager might target a great performer who is perceived as a threat to the managers authority, but over time the strategy of keeping only fairly useless a---kissers will get them into trouble.
They base it on how many vowels you have in your name. Less than 2 and you are doomed. For example, Smith, thats a goner. However, Nagisoogdjrbrudwurywowu, well that person is safe.
Its that simple.
Nope........it has to do with how much of a threat are you to your superior's job.
Verizon has created a culture of insecure paranoid no successful thinking non-leaders.
I would compare the entire company to the TV show Survivor. Each day is focused on one individual YOU! And your survivability....The company's success is not even a thought.
well in IT if you are "managing vendors" and making sure they are helping teh directors and above you are good. If you keep your nose down and do not call out the gross misuse of funds in building new features that nobody wants or uses u r good.
Now if you are a troublemaker and call out a bad product for what it is and are not "managing vendors" u r out.