Thread regarding Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) layoffs

To a person that still has his retirement in the DP and DPRS (or whatever it is called), it is easy to transfer it into another ira/annuity. You have to have set up where it will go to avoid a penalty but then, just a phone call and about a 2 month delay.. (they sell at the beginning of the month and pay out the 15th of the following). If you call them, it is very easy. They will send you a check with the new Ira name on it "for benefit of John Doe" on it.

Get it out of there, if you die now, your wife is screwed.

If you read the fine print regarding the HP pension, the projections you'll realize when calculating for retirement utilizing their tool.....it is based on 8% returns per year.

Who gets 8% annually these dayz?

@2acz I left HPE in early 2016, and cashed out my Pension late last year. Are you not able to do that?

I cashed mine out because HP stopped contributing to it about 2 years after we joined the company through acquisition, so it was only in the low tens of thousands of dollars.

A few years back I needed to buy about $250K in servers and storage. Not a huge purchase.

Supermicro was about 2% cheaper than HPE.

I preferred to use HPE, so I reached out to my sales rep to try and get the price down.

My rep tried to get me to purchase a different line of servers from HPE. They were even MORE expensive and they were completely inappropriate for my project.

This really left a bad taste in my mouth. It was the equivalent of going to a Ford dealer with the intent of buying a F350 pickup truck, and the salesman trying to contact you into buying a Lincoln Navigator because he wanted to get a big commission check.

I went with SuperMicro.

A year later, the HPE sales guy took me and my coworkers out to a lavish dinner. He spent at least $1000 winning and dining us. And I sat there amazed at how inefficient this process was. If he'd simply sold me the servers that I wanted a year earlier, at a discount of $1000, he wouldn't be begging us for our business a year later.

Agree! In my new job, I no longer have to worry if I'm the next one on the chopping block. What people fear is the unknown and that is what happens when you've been at a company for such a long time and get laid off. Most people are resilient, though. They know they can't afford to not have a job and go out finding a new one. Only then will they know what opportunities exist out there because they were too comfortable with their old one to move on to something else.

It's not the end of the world when you lose your job. It's the beginning of a new direction and you get to choose that direction. You're never too old to decide what you want to do.

I like the story. Thanks for sharing. I've also had good things happen as a result of a layoff. I'm still at HPE but feel that my time near.

Do not get re-married! It's a TRAP!

Great testimony! There is life after HPE. The OP experienced it and so did I as well as many on this board.

Hey, I left HPE earlier this year and from time-to-time, I check my NetBenefits/401K and see the HPE 401K, HP 401K, and my new company's 401K. I zero'd out my HP/HPE 401K plans, but then there's that old HP pension plan and I don't know what to do with it. Seems I can't do anything with it until I retire.

Basically, every time I look at my 401K, there's HP littered in my list and when I see it, I wonder how my HP/HPE colleagues are doing and I wander in here.

I'm sorry for your experience, but just because you have a lackadaisical sales rep or partner rep does not mean the company is not out to win. Maybe the rep just didn't like you. Maybe the rep doesn't take you seriously. Maybe the rep realizes you are a disgruntled employee who just wants to stick it to your former employer. I'm sorry you were laid off and that your former wife was so shallow. I'm glad you're doing well now. But there are so many factors that play into a sales call... Maybe your ISR is keeping your opportunity a secret. Maybe the partner is keeping HPE out of the deal to make a spif. Who knows!

For those ridiculing the OP, just wait, your day of reckoning will come.

Yep, that’s how traumatic it can be - and for this guy, it obviously resulted in a big change beyond his career. I know several guys (and gals) that share the same thing... Anger. No matter how many years pass, you keep that feeling deep inside of you. We all know it can happen to any of us, but blaming all of our misfortunes on HPE as a result of being laid off is just negating the lack of preparedness on our side. Learn, people... Watch and learn...

You were WFR'd 3 years ago and still visiting this site to blather on about the peaks and valleys of your life? Good grief man! Move on.

I want info on current happenings, not bloviating about what once was.

I can't feel to sorry for the OP. Sounds like repetitive " The dog ate my homework ". Good Luck to All!

Good post. Inspirational. Thank you OP and good luck!