Thread regarding CDK Global Inc. layoffs

Wow are you ever in the honeymoon phase. I thought that way too, years ago in the beginning. The only reason things seem calm in Portland is last year they laid off hundreds. They laid off up and down the hierarchy, they laid off left and right in departments - they laid off so many that FINALLY the CEO himself got canned. The only hope for CDK, and it's a slim one, is that the new CEO actually wants to build a company with great products instead of just cashing out people for profits. Good luck!

Just a correction that level 2s were bonus eligible past 2017. I was a level 2 who got the nerfed 2018 bonus.

@YuY1wAV-1dtp - It's great that you don't feel duped, but I think you missed my point entirely. We all know anonymity provides the perfect platform for venting and negativity - that was not the purpose of my post. I really don't need to waste my time and energy simply complaining about a previous employer. My point was to highlight that I was an eager, overzealous, excited and very skilled employee willing to learn, create, and promote whatever it took to create change and alignment within the organization and was shot down EVERY TIME by upper management, who in my opinion, couldn't lead their way out of a cardboard box. And it took me about 3 years to figure it out. No one should have to waste their time at a company that doesn't seem to care, when there are SO many other options out there.

Take a look at the history of ADP/CDK - the culture was vastly different from the one CDK was left to create on their own when ADP dropped them, and sadly roughly four years later they still seem to be missing the mark for their employees.

But, if you're happy with where you are now - then that's awesome! You're right, things are relative, so I'm guessing you came from an even worse place...so it's great you found something you think you deserve. I happen to aim a little higher and expect more from my employer and it's leadership...which actually paid off in the form of a 25% increase in pay and a 10% bonus every year at my new employer (for doing the EXACT same work). But, please, tell me again about CDKs worthwhile benefits and bonuses.

BTW, I'm also guessing you're not a level 1 or 2, as CDK removed bonuses for those roles around 2017, I believe, and right as they hired on a large number of entry level positions. They also refused to up-level level 2's during their review time that same year because, you guessed it, level 3's were bonus eligible. Gosh, that just screams integrity, doesn't it?

@YuY1wAV-1dtp

I been here for over a year don’t I don’t feel “duped” at all. In fact, where I came from we did not have any worth while benefits or bonuses yet alone lucky to have a job.

People always want the best but dont realize they the “best” is always relative to what you had or have. I tend to enjoy the time I have with no envy. Or do I go looking for for it.

I can’t see my self ever looking back on even my last employer and thinking bad about them. Simple fact is, I chose to work for a company not to be the company.

This site and others are only negative because of venting. People never go online after they switch jobs and say they wish they have not done so this is not news and people don’t have to tell me that.

I don't usually feel the need to reply to these posts, but as a previous CDK employee this really struck me. I left CDK last September, after 3.5 years with the company. Like you, I was thrilled to join CDK - a REAL tech company - with lots of room to grow and lots of tenured employees who (I was convinced) were going to serve as my mentors and teachers in an industry I was relatively new to. As soon I was hired, my manager told me what an asset I'd be and that they "needed young people to breathe fresh air into what we did". I felt empowered to make changes and that the possibilities were endless.

Flash forward six months and I realized I had been duped. The first red flag was that I had ZERO training everything I learned over the course of my employment was because I put in the time and effort. Rather than having the mentors I hoped for, I was part of a team where each person did every task in a different way (based on methodology from several decades prior); each convinced their way was the ONLY way and each not willing to share what they were doing for fear that you'd either steal their idea or have suggestions for improvements.

There was no cross collaboration and no cohesive team dynamic. Suggestions or improvements were shot down without consideration and everything (if it defied what "was always done") was a fight... and by fight, I mean no one could ever agree on any single path - if the result was to "agree to disagree" everything stalled and nothing got done.

And that's just touching the tip of the iceberg...below the water was the biggest hidden beast - INEFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT. Why were teams so dysfunctional? Well, because things trickle down and many managers had no actual leadership skills. I almost laughed out loud in a team meeting when my manager introduced our exciting new initiative of "SMART Goals" - either he or his upper management (perhaps even HR?) clearly had no idea that SMART Goals were created in the 1980s and were nothing new. In fact, I had already been writing SMART goals for my professional development for 10 years before I came to CDK... so this was a joke to me and yet the entire team was up in arms and upset they had to actually develop.

And it seemed like the further away you got from headquarters, the more rogue things were. I had the opportunity to fly to headquarters twice during my employment and was pretty impressed with the portion of ELT I worked with. I left both times feeling excited and hopeful, only to be deflated and dejected when I got back to my home office.

So my message to you is this: It's super great that you're excited and eager about your new opportunity, but having been there, just make sure you're taking everything with a grain of salt.

And in that vein, don't be ignorant by dismissing the experiences of those who have worked with and/or are still working at CDK. It takes A LOT to change a company - much more than a few zealous newbies. Change requires ethically-aligned LEADERS, focused on growth, personal/professional development and increasing employee morale. From what I experienced CDK has a very, very long road ahead.

Leaving was the best thing I could've done for my career and personal sanity... and by the way, I made a lateral move to a new company and my pay increased SIGNIFICANTLY...so that should speak volumes to the caliber of CDK and their focus (or lack thereof) on employee well being.

Good luck to you!

I agree the only people that need to be worried is ones who refuse to learn new stuff or make changes for them self while complaining about an old outdated system.

The company has a far bigger promise and that is to succeed as thrived. You can chose to follow or leave. If you think a member of management is not going to sugar coat stuff your going to be disappointed but don’t expect to be doing the same thing for 40 years.

@YuY1wAV-1eha

No company is a perfect company.

It’s a paradox that people want a company to succeed but at the same time thing they do t have to chang as well.

Venting here won’t help it.

I was the person who originally posted the info about moving to San Jose - you can say, as much as you’d like that it’s not true... just like when CDK was laying off people quarter after quarter and HR provided managers with “talking points” to try to convince everyone we weren’t shrinking the workforce... do you really think they are going to be up front with you about this? Do you really think they care if they need to hire you for a few months while building up the San Jose office? I could give many examples where the company outright lied to new employees - ask anyone around during the “smart shore” project - employees were asked to relocate to cheaper cities to work from home- a year later, many were laid off or asked to relocate again.

I get that a lot of info here is spun up but that doesn’t make the underlying facts untrue: CDK is not a good company to work for and does not have its employees in mind when making its longer term decisions. Just cause they hired you recently doesn’t change any of that... you’ll see.

@YuY1wAV-1yks

If it’s salty eyes and insults you got. I dare you to ponder what would happen if the dinosaurs saw their fate as you see yours. Did they lash out? Doesn’t matter we know how it ended.

Best of luck to you sir!

Quoting -"Looks like new hires are not hired for their ability to spell. Funny how these newbies think they know more than people who worked for ADP/CDK for 20+ years."

Totally, New hires are not getting hired for their ability to spell but for their Technology skills!!!! Honestly, Newbies don't think they know more than people who worked for ADP, infact newbies don't care about 20+ years of experience that is not going to be of use in next 2 years :)

Looks like new hires are not hired for their ability to spell. Funny how these newbies think they know more than people who worked for ADP/CDK for 20+ years.

GM's website designs are mandated by GM. Why would anyone make a site with a poor design? We're all CDK - next time ask a teammate of yours on the Digital side about the GM profile and plan.

“Who is going to work for a badly rated company coding over 40 year old technology in San Jose when they can work at 10000 other highly regarded and better companies there? Makes no sense. But hey, when has CDK made sense. DMS isn't going anywhere, and the few remaining people that understand it are in Hoffman and Portland.“

The idea is to get rid of the 40 year old tech so the DMS can go somewhere. PICK is long dead. It’s time to move on.

I am not excited about CDK but at the same time I am not disappointed either. I am also not on ELT Kool aid, just trying to give a perspective which I feel people miss most of the times in these negative remarks.

Yes there has been attrition, we see our colleagues leave for other companies for better pay, position or job security. But then people leave Amazon, google and other good Tech companies too. If the Tech crowd is not moving then that means you are sitting with a bunch that are not employable else where. CDK has done lot of things that were not right however, when it is trying to move ahead these negative news pulls it back.

Please understand that it is not 1970s anymore! You had built a system that worked great back then, Pat your back for it! But if we do not reinvent, it will get us a "kick on our back"! DMS people are important, however some of them are not willing to change or learn to accept the fact that we have to move to future state, they are the enablers..instead they hold things down not understanding the vision. Fed up of hearing things -"This is how we have done things for last million years". Does this mean we will continue doing it for next billion years?

I am sure there are employees who do believe that things can change, new leadership gives hope and we can change for good. If you are one of them then please share your voice and help stop these gossip mongers once and for all.

@CDK leadership, @BK, @newCTO - please create a better culture of honest communication and create the right culture we are waiting for.

@YuY1wAV-1keq

There’s the obligatory end of the world CDK is satan post

I was wondering when that will show up

Talk it out coward! Sad this industry has so many people that lack these skills

I also agree with the post above angry people are the loudest and is rampant here because there is no face to tell otherwise. I work the Portland office as well and I bought my concerts to management not an online community.

They have heard of the new office but assured me they are more interested in growth rather then shuffling cards.

Here is how it was put to me.

There are people who can grow companies to an extant their are others who can grow them even more.

What’s happening now is we want to go global (yes we are indeed just getting our feet wet globally).

They want to retain talent while acquiring new. The only people that should be worried are the ones I charge with taking the company up a few notches. The question over the years they will be a answering is how far can you take CDK.

If your technical, sales or even a janitor. I believe the coming years will be kind to you.

For the love of god talk with a human not a board.

They tend to listen better.

If you are excited about CDK, then either you don't know what's going on in the trenches or are drinking the ELT Kool aid. Week after week, critical, talented and knowledgeable people are leaving for better jobs. Look at Glassdoor. Soon, all CDK will have are cheap, imported contractors (I see so many work visa documents left on printers, it is silly) who know nothing about our business driving us into the dirt. Already seeing it with some applications. It is what happens when you lay off the only people who understand DMS software.

As for moving, if I was BK I would close the SEA office. Digital is draining the company. Have you seen GM websites CDK have done? They are c-ap. We cannot compete against cheaper better options. Real Estate is expensive when the building is empty. At least they are hiring in Portland in some depts.

Who is going to work for a badly rated company coding over 40 year old technology in San Jose when they can work at 10000 other highly regarded and better companies there? Makes no sense. But hey, when has CDK made sense. DMS isn't going anywhere, and the few remaining people that understand it are in Hoffman and Portland.

Agreed, The problem is negative people are too loud because they want to hurt others with such rumors. If you are really honest then present facts, not garbage of your minds. You had worked with these co workers, they cared for you and now you are sitting and just sending your venom!!!!

The CA office positions are open for everyone to apply, but do you have the right skill? Do you know AWS or REACT? I am sure 90% of you would answer "No". If you are not offering what CDK needs, then CDK needs to go to right market for its need.

Please move on in your life, be cheerful!

@CDK Employees - stop believing such rumors, clarify your doubts with your leaders.