Wow. After seeing all the layoffs over the years, you’d think I’d have been prepped for this. But no. Over a decade of working 80 hour weeks at times, late nights, weekends during Q-end. Missing weddings, events, time with family. To having my literal career here be laid off in a 5 minute phone call—and a rushed and cold one at that—is mind blowing. Less than a few mins after the call, my laptop was shut down, everything disconnected. The conversation was clearly scripted and completely impersonal. To tell someone they’re losing a job they’ve held for so long, they’re losing their pay and benefits in 14 days and show no compassion or empathy is just wild. What’s worse? Even my own direct manager had no idea. Talk about lack of transparency. Zero appreciation. Everyone is a number here at this company.
30 replies (most recent on top)
@cg that’s simply not true. Depending on the org the the choices of the leaders for that org will determine if a line manager knows or not. In many cases line managers leak info so they’re not often consulted.
Lots of excellent examples of the Oracle BOHICA Factor in this thread.
BOHICA Rating = 8.5 / 10
@k4 NA myself, location in Pacific was eliminated
@jz which location were you and your team?
@cg horsesh-t. in our team they cut the whole location, everyone there laid off without any relation to feedback, performance or anything.
@ar Yes, but you did know what you put on people's employee reviews, so sorting from the data on managers' comments, whatever criteria is, if the manager is at all critical of an employee, even if it is due to personality mismatch between employee/manager, it could land that employee on "the list". Even if it was not the intention of the manager.
@aj lol
@cf yep. Immediate manager has 1000% input on who to put on the layoff list, unless they themselves are cut. Most O mgrs are toxic kissup kickdown people who work people to death to look good to upper mgmt. Mine was.
When you say that in several cases "The Manager knew", does it mean that the immediate manager knew and decided on who to put on the list, or perhaps his/her manager (or someone above)?
@OP sorry about your rif. LE thinks he is getting 300B in next 5yrs from openAi whose current annual revenue is 10B. So he doesnt need deal desk to do small change deals. Wait till the AI bubble bursts. Lmao. Sad the toll it takes on ordinary people like us and their livelihoods so few folks in mgmt can rake in the millions in stock options. Remember work is not life or your identity so do not confuse between them. Work is only a tiny part of our life but since health insurance etc is tied to it, we are forced to a life of toil and slaves to our jobs.
What? Are they still at it? I thought it was over with September. No?
All the best OP
@b3 Don’t worry, at least you know for the future that it's not worth sacrificing your valuable time for work when you're already off work. If the managment is behaving brutally, the employee needs to be more assertive. Just eat the rich.
@ar Every situation may be different but if I see my manager's behavior he knew it many weeks before. I was fool enough to not understand and now regret that I should have started preparing for interviews before instead of working late nights and weekends.
I've been a manager at Oracle, and I've laid off people there. I had very little input into "the list". I didn't know what the criteria was. The list changed many times - right up until the day before the RIF. Most of the changes came from HR in what I assumed was some kind of "balancing" activity (too many of one demographic, etc). BUT - what I 'm hearing lately is that these larger layoffs are coming down from higher above and the line manager may not actually know about it until the last minute, or have any input. If the OP didn't get "the call" from their actual manager, but from someone in HR or higher up the org chart than the manager, then my guess is that the manager didn't know. Sometimes the manager doesn't know because the manager is ALSO getting laid off. Other times the manager knows about his directs but doesn't realize that he is also going to get one of those calls. It's awful. Good luck to the Deal Desk team - 99% of the time you'll all find a better gig anyway!
LE said: “This musical chair game is capitalism at its finest; of course when it doesn’t happen to you!”
@ak nah. this time. lists are coming from the top based on age, salary and outstanding RSUs.
Don’t think the managers knew, actually. They were let go at the same time. Entire teams were scrubbed as the work is being sent out to India and AI.
OP: your manager is good actor; he is the one who referred your name on the layoffs list; this is part of the Oracle script
I am surprised you are surprised. Were you expecting a farewell party?
This place was the worst company I worked with, I had the same experience.
I'm glad I'm gone .
@ae Sorry everyone for the prior typos. Bottom line is that Oracle direct-line managers DO know in advance who on their teams will get laid off. And yes, they do give input to upper management for who on their own teams should be whacked. If your manager gives you that "Well, I didn't know" response, it's pure BS.
I doubt direct manager has no idea, in my case I was picked up by them.
Got news for you -- You're direct line anger DID know in advance and likely "nominated" you for the RIF. Deal with reality.
@aa For it is also hard to understand that people in XXI let others to treat them like a slayer. I would rather work in supermarket than sitting long days and evenings through the years to be treated with no respect to work time and no raises, na appreciations. Isn’t it crazy? It’s the easiest way to destroy your psyche, self-confidence, joy of life…etc..
@a8 it was a toxic culture and you were right to leave, I’m glad you had an out. What’s really messed up is you’re expected to not take any vacation time at all 4 months out of the year - or even have plans on the weekend - bc of quarter end. But they also won’t even pay you for that time unless it’s needed. So, yea, say high when we say jump but if not, just sit next to your laptop and don’t have a life. Where were you out of?
@a3 North America CDD
@a9 I’m so sorry, that’s terrible and I’ve witnessed people here way longer than me be let go in the same way - as if they were nothing. May I ask what org? Were you also DM, SalesHelp or CDD (the names have changed every time they “reorg”, or aka cut teams and roll several roles into one without compensating for same 🫢) I just don’t understand why employees are so overworked and undervalued.
Oh no. You're in my loving boat. Close to 30 years of my dedication thrown out with 2 minutes of a call. Everyone knew medical conditions were are running into and never cared. It's been exactly a month and I've not been able to stand up on my feet. Called up Cobra team to continue my expensive treatments.
Sorry to hear that. Never let them consume your private life - events, family, vacations, over time in work days, work in weekends. Just never, no matter what. I am a former employee, left this toxic place on my condition previous year and always refused staying longer than it was in my contract - as the once you stay, next time it will be a norm for you to work over time day by day. My manager was not happy about that, but who cared… Now reading your stories how you trusted corporation machine and feeded them with your private time destroying your and your family private life, I feel proud of myself of never let them load on me more than it was contracted.
@OP sorry to hear that. I know how that feel. Which region pls?