Why do companies refuse lay off volunteers and then lay off younger people who want to still work there? Is there a legal barrier?
13 replies (most recent on top)
- task, not "talk"
*rif, not "rid"
Look, I'm sorry I wrote that and would delete it if I could.
some leadership doesn't define to new employees their roles and responsibilities, or how to do the job
I think I understand what happened now this a teachable moment for other young professionals in this situation who want to protect themselves from being riffed.
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talk to senior employees who seem important (they don't have to be the boss) and try to learn what the department needs are. Be polite and humble.
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after the needs are identified, bond with someone who has deep knowledge of that discipline. Write down everything they teach you. If they don't have time to talk, send them an outlook meeting. Try not to be too annoying.
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study your notes and learn them cold. When you're given a talk, do it immediately. Even if you don't fully understand it, take your best guess and ask for a critique. Don't be defensive to criticism.
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email your boss regular summaries of what you've been doing.
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Whatever you do, don't wait around for guidance. This makes the rid decision a no-brainer.
Do these things and the boss just might choose to keep you over a complacent employee with more experience. But as with everything, there is no guarantee.
You're a real piece of tihs, you know that?
"Ever think that some people actually might not learn fast enough? It's a tough business and it's not for everyone. Sink or swim."
Ever think that some leadership doesn't define to new employees their roles and responsibilities, or how to do the job? You are correct, it IS a tough business, but how the hell is someone supposed to know or learn what they need to do if no one informs them?
That was kind of a mean way for me to put it and I'm sorry to hear about your buddy.
That said, I'm sure your boss didn't enjoy walking him out and he had to get rid of someone.
So he wasn't picking it up and you think the boss needed to talk to him. Did he need a pep talk because he wasn't motivated? If he was trying hard but was just a slow learner, what would talking to him do?
It seems like the cool thing to do on this board is trash senior leadership. You've gone after your first line supervisor and teammates, which is why I think this merits discussion.
@KJBMnJ6-2pzt you really do have no sense
I have to agree that some trolls on here are heartless, but those are the ones that are the Honeywlel HR hacks or the Mike Madsens, Carl Espisitos and Bob Smiths who think that Honeywell was invented for them to get rich off of. It is the HR hacks or the paid honeywell hacks that post things on here putting down the rumors so they can keep their secrets a little longer.
Ever think if someone isn't keeping up they should probably know about it before instantly losing their livelihood? Please, continue to believe people were RIFed because they deserved it. That way when it happens to you, you'll know it is because you troll anonymous forums with worthless comments, and you aren't worth crud as an employee.
Ever think that some people actually might not learn fast enough? It's a tough business and it's not for everyone. Sink or swim.
And the demoted manager that took the newcomers job- What do you expect him to do, refuse the demotion and take the rif? I respect them for putting in management time. Leadership is no cake walk.
There is no excuse for this kind of behavior. The process of bringing in a new employee, training them, giving them 0 feedback, and then dumping them because they "don't learn fast enough" is a good way to prove your own incompetence as a leader. Its an even better way to lose a ton of money quickly. If you ruined someone's life and career because you failed as a manager then subsequently RIF'ed that person pat yourself on the back. You have failed on so many levels there should be no place for you in this company. Oh and if you are told to "volunteer" for a demotion congratulations! You just took the job of the guy you RIF'ed. Unfortunately for you none of us will respect you, and if there is any justice in this world you will end up unemployed in the next round of RIFs.
Older people's severance would be higher. Also, asking for volunteers shows them who wants to leave. Then they just wait the frustrated old timers out until they quit on their own or retire.
@-anu Actually, that sounds accurate... no one seems to have the time (or energy) to properly train me and I got here about 5 months ago (almost 25 years old).
If they didn't have these ridiculous new "policies" (AKA removal of benefits) AND to let go of us younger people like they did to two of them in Glendale for the first RIF this year, I might not be looking for another job right now.
A "younger" person was let go via RIF despite several volunteers because we couldn't afford to lose the knowledge the volunteer held. Honeywell has the full expectation that all new people brought in will immediately know everything the 30-40 year employees know. If you don't learn fast enough, well that's what unemployment is for.
Age...distribution of age of people RIF'd must match distribution of company demographics. That's why when you are RIF'd they send a book of positions and ages to prove that they were not targeting young/old/male/female.
...Younger people still want to work there? What for? As a younger person myself, I decided to volunteer; even I can see the new policies and changes are unacceptable.