I was a loyal employee for so many years, since the early 2000's. I don't know what motivated me to work 60+ hours a week, round the clock to accommodate Bangalore, APAC, EMEA. But I did it with a smile on my face and honestly look forward to getting to work everyday so I can work some more. I excelled at it year after year and delivered outstanding results.
Then projects started being assigned to less qualified individuals just so they can get some visibility. "Share the spotlight" they said! "Give others a chance" they said! OK - so I did what management told me and handed over my responsibilities. I was certain I was getting the ax since I was not being given any new work. It was too easy to predict, but I watched the trainwreck unfold in slow motion. Projects and programs that I spent countless of sleepless nights and weekends - straight down the drain.
I knew it was time to jump ship when I stopped caring. Nobody even cared that I didn't care, which was sad. I stayed for a few more months pretending to be busy and still got a pack on my back for a job well done. I was one of the many that hoped to get laid off so that I could get a compensation package. It was torture to sit around and twiddle my thumbs, I couldn't take it anymore. When I found out I wasn't impacted during the last round (darn!) I made one of the hardest decisions in my life - to break up with NetApp.
I've made numerous lifelong friends at NetApp, but they had all left many years before I did. My last day was pitiful. My manager in RTP didn't bother to return my farewell voicemail. My teammates didn't bother to show up since it was a Friday and heaven forbid it was their work from home day. I turned in my stuff to our admin and walked out the door and I literally paused outside the lobby and had a moment of silence. It's hard to come to terms that the culture we once loved and cherished is gone.
I know many have said this but the grass really is greener on the other side people! I now work 40 hours a week! I come in at 8AM and the office is already buzzing! I leave at 5PM and there are still lots of cars in the parking lot! I'm no longer tied to my phone checking emails 24/7! I can now enjoy my free time and even put my Netflix subscription to good use!
For my friends that are still there, keep your head up and stay positive. It is not the end of the world, in fact getting impacted can be the silver lining in your NetApp journey. I really wish everyone the best of luck, except for the imbecile that felt they could do my job better. I bet this moron will be spared in the next round, just because teams are spread out so thinly.