Thread regarding AT&T layoffs

Stink and his cronies have to know their time is up. Whistleblowers coming out of the woodwork now …. nobody has anything to lose.

Stank: “Damn you fools! Start monitoring home internet! Call Joe Biden! Schedule a Town Hall and give these a--holes Juneteenth Day off!”

Man oh man this is getting SPICY

OP here. In response to the individual who worked (or works) on the executive staff for 23 years, I was using terms like L7 and L8 to easily explain the corporate hierarchy and reporting structure. I’ve never had a reason to study Webphone. That sounds like a task delegated to someone who might bear some responsibility for this mess.

Since you seem to be so credible, you must already be aware that offices across the country have been designated as growth centers, capped for growth, or exiting the business. As an esteemed member of our “executive” staff, I’m sure it would be wonderful for the company and it’s RTO project if that list was leaked. What say you?

“Mr. 23 years sounds like this post hit a little too close to home“

And the leaks are just getting started. Your world, delivered.

Mr. 23 years sounds like this post hit a little too close to home… it’s people like you that don’t want the truth to be made public.

“OP, please educate youself on mgmt levels in order for your credibility about being in the know is taken seriously. I've spent 23 yrs on Corporate HQ staff.. there is no Level 8”

I’d bet the OP used L8 to provide context of where the buck stops, or where the blood turns cold like yours. And, if you’ve spent 23 years as a coward your credibility is essentially zero.

OP, please educate youself on mgmt levels in order for your credibility about being in the know is taken seriously. I've spent 23 yrs on Corporate HQ staff.. there is no Level 8. The CEO and SVP's are Level 6, VP's are Level 5. Incidentally, Web Phone reflects all mgmt levels when selecting the proper filters on your search - please familiarize yourself with this feature and info. #FakeNews

I’ve been on my current Team 20 months and I’ve never met anyone on above me. Not even my boss.

Begging to continue WFH and receive a special variance is a sure way to get the axe.

“Over 100 thousand families have been sitting in limbo for over a month because once again, the so called leadership has no plan or is too cowardly to speak about it.”

Contrast that with a poignant line in the Jon Stewart style open letter rant that has since had the post here taken down:

“we are at work when the people whose houses got blown away in a tornado run to save the Central Office instead; we are the people working with less and less resources and still finding ways to get things done.”

I don’t hold much hope right now for the future of AT&T. Companies have recovered from straits more dire than the one we’re in, but only because there were leaders who, well, chose to lead instead of going into a cowardly retreat.

Cowards.

Sadly, there is no leadership. Just a bunch of narcissist people at the top who claim to be leaders. A true leader would not have one of his minions drop life changing information to over 100 thousand people over a month ago with absolutely zero follow-up about their ideas for the future. Over 100 thousand families have been sitting in limbo for over a month because once again, the so called leadership has no plan or is too cowardly to speak about it.

A true leader would be communicating their plan on a near daily basis. A true leader would also have the ability to do some self reflection and make hard choices about stepping down when their efforts have failed.

We have NO LEADERSHIP. Just a bunch of hacks sitting in a self-fulfilling echo chamber collecting millions each year.

OP here. I can assure you that’s it’s factual until I’m blue in the face but I won’t do that. You don’t know who I am, and I don’t know who you are. There may be multiple narratives and multiple ways that this massive company is going about the RTO project, but that doesn’t make my narrative non-factual. If what you know is different from what I’ve shared, by all means please share it with us. Maybe someone can find their relevant truth in what you’ve been privy to.

“If a position can be 100% virtual, offshore is the most affordable option from a business perspective.”

If you’re doing mundane work with low collaboration during US hours, sure. But if you need to collaborate, lead mtgs and deliver during US hours, offshore simply doesn’t work.

Centers, ticket takers, low level developers, etc offshore sure. Anything higher and it doesn’t work.

"Rao?"

She's SVP so I'm not sure OP would count her as a large VP unit. I know she's allowing virtual and hub location work up to her limit.

OP, thank you for sharing. This is a high quality post. I had almost given up on this site as worthwhile. Please continue to share as you’re able.

This is all just assumed and inferred from the prior posts here. None of this is factual and I have seen evidence that negates some of what OP has posted already.

I can say that not every org is doing things the same way so expect to hear contradictions, doesn’t make them inaccurate.

Rao?

"Executives and stockholders are pushing agenda of automation to fill gaps created by forced attrition"

Ha, just read this. Interesting because my team does process and data automation, most recently with a lot of MSFT power automate to help fill in vacuums left by previous layoffs and just general neglect. Constantly getting called to help. Now literally everyone will not be moving AFAIK. Good luck automating when you take a big, wide hatchet and put on the blindfold before hacking away.

OP here. It’s not, but I won’t reveal my sources for obvious reasons. I plan on sharing a wealth of insider information because much of what is going on needs to be disclosed. The company has gone unchecked for far too long. Plenty more to come.

Guessing the business VP submitting for all these exceptions is Rands. She seems to think the rules never reply to her group. She herself is not Atlanta.

Interesting, thanks. In this case, the SVP and VP are already there.

OP here. Those decisions are being made strictly at the discretion of your BUs leadership team. From what I’ve seen, this is happening when a VP or above within your organization is not located in Dallas or Atlanta. As they are asked to relocate, the company is making the decision to relocate their DRs along with them. This may or may not be your situation but it is similar to one that has come up several times. It is unfortunate for these teams because it is no fault of their own, but most can’t find a valid argument against having VP level or above located in Atlanta or Dallas. If anyone should have to be there, it is them.

"Workers who do not qualify for FTO in a core or sub-core office location will be asked to relocate in almost every scenario."

What about business units that have directed 100% of employees to Dallas and don't even allow core locations (including Atlanta)? Do you know of an appeals process? Most of my team has been in either NJ, Atlanta, or St. Louis. Some still go into the office regularly. And in fact we have very few people or collaborators in Dallas. But they're skipping over the option to go to core locations entirely.

OP here. You are correct about offshore in principle. However, there are offshore RTO efforts underway as well. Last week, offices in the Philippines were notified of office closure. The strategy is also expected to impact several large offices in Slovakia.

If a position can be 100% virtual, offshore is the most affordable option from a business perspective.

Good (and factual) info shared by the OP. Level 5 does in-fact = VP and Level 6 = SVP. Everybody will be FTO, save for a few. Director's and AVP's present justification/business case for TW to VP, VP presents to SVP and if SVP approves, goes to organizational leadership for approval, but most are being sacked. The "less than 10%" virtual cworker piece shared in the Stankey's RTO comm should have ready "WAY" less than 10% because that's the goal.

If true, Wow!!!

Bankruptcy or sale (wire line) sound like likely scenarios after this debacle

(Full-time telework has been abused for such a long time that consistent controls are needed.)

STFU, it is not our fault that your skills did not warrant you to get the TW.

only SVPs are level 6

"this is an expedient way to dispense with them without invoking EEO age quotas or DEI issues"

As the OP said "a ploy to salvage public image while cutting large percentages of headcount". Stankey will ultimately succeed with the cuts and the stain to the public image will likely subside. The internal damage is irreparable.

The FAQ document says L6 approval, which could be a VP.

I wouldn’t say that no virtual has been approved. That isn’t accurate.

Is anyone aware of any virtual approvals, anywhere, at all?

Not sure I'd want to continue as one of a select few who escaped the RTO reaper and was allowed to continue virtual. Anyone who accepts reassignment and did have to schlep back in would be understandably resentful.

But silly rabbit: trix are for kids: this is about cost reduction and has nothing to do with performance, morale, employee care. People with seniority and experience cost money, and this is an expedient way to dispense with them without invoking EEO age quotas or DEI issues. "The role moved, the employee didn't." Case closed.

Full-time telework has been abused for such a long time that consistent controls are needed.

Thank you for posting. So hard to get any info - now a month after the email came out.