Thread regarding Staples Inc. layoffs

SDS/Engineering: way too many useless VPs and Directors. WA, HR, SW, PB, NV and more - arrogant jerks who are useless and don’t do anything. Too many Directors just collecting a paycheck, while the actual people working are let go. No wonder staples engineering spends the most and produce little

There were promotions in finance, on 5west this week, a few new directors, and unnecessary roles and titles created during all this turmoil, real poor taste, all things considered from last week.

Many more people were let go in merch. My team alone we lost an Assoc. DMM, 2 merchants, and 2 specialists. I also think they will have another sweep once everyone starts to settle into their new roles.

It’s hard to market mediocrity.

I wouldn't trash marketing either. Anyone that thinks that if you build it they will come has never had an actual business nor ran one.

Staples marketing folks are or were competent. At least at the manager and director levels. They all know their craft.

If an org says 'let's be more profitable' and you say 'ok but sales will decline' and they say 'ok' and if pricing is bad and if assortment is one dimensional and table stakes then it's like marketing lipstick on a pig.

If I advertised to you that SG, RS and SyPa were all effective at running companies (other than into the ground) would you buy it?

Hell no. Same thing!

Not sure you can discredit marketing quite so much. The organization is lead by operationally-minded merchants who don't understand what a brand is or the nurturing it needs.

I speak solely as a supplier to the company, every good idea is shot down at the CEO level - he has an ego and an agenda that do not take the health of the brand to heart. His interest is solely to cut waste and drive short term gains. Unfortunately whoever has put him in charge underestimates the competition.

SDS/Engineering: No senior level exits - they had already gone through some exits before. Couple of their VPs should have been kicked out but they weren't.

Curious who you think should get the boot. Maybe the VP of Tech Strategy & Operations (SW) for starters?

========
Yes SW and HR the VP of data - he is a prick and the least collaborative person this world has ever witnessed.

Any layoffs in Canada? YTD sales are down about 3.5% but gross margins are up about 10% compared to same time last year.

Merchandising was in fact hit pretty hard. It wasn't just merchants though. A handful of merchants, a bunch of product specialists, at least 5 in the product world along with some senior managers and directors. They also split the merchant world up into buy side and sell side, and split the product teams up. We had at least 15 open recs from people that left on their own accord in the last 6 months which they closed so the remaining employees need to maintain that coverage.

SDS/Engineering: No senior level exits - they had already gone through some exits before. Couple of their VPs should have been kicked out but they weren't.

Curious who you think should get the boot. Maybe the VP of Tech Strategy & Operations (SW) for starters?

I didnt know we had a marketing department. Who knew they paid people to do that. I thought it was some high levels kids.

Finally, somebody on this site comee through with the goods instead of making another stupid "you're next!!" post

Would have liked to see finance trimmed down more. Alot of high salaries and low iqs on 5west.

Marketing is the f—ing worst. Forget the obvious ways they've mismanaged the brand, they are the most difficult group to work with in the building. Should've gotten rid of em all and started with a clean slate.

I'm sure I know whom is being referred to. Isn't just marketing that is affected by their existence. I would also prefer to see them out of the way.

I'd also add that some people in marketing relied on support from non supportive teams cross organization to succeed. There are certain people in the org that made it impossible to succeed by being one dimensional, egotistical and flat out reckless. I can't wait till we see them walked out!

the "turn around" is an illusion to support the debt issue and IPO. you shouldn't be surprised at the layoffs at all.

Let me point out there are some very smart people in marketing (esp if you look back pre the last couple of layoffs). These smart people in marketing are forced to do whatever the very top wants (cmo and some VPs). 99% of time we are forced to spend money in ways we don’t agree w. ....over and over again. Like insane decisions. We try telling leadership we disagree with their approach and they don’t want to hear it. We get shut out and eventually kicked out. They want every to just drink the look aid and do what they are told. The last 2 cmo hires have been disasters and the cmo before that was nice but retiring and didn’t want to shake things up. When asked why we abandoned “that was easy” campaign, the response was “we weren’t easy any more”. Can you believe it? Instead of fixing the biz so it WAS easy, we just changed taglines. We also bring up “the most wonderful time of yr” ad and said we should run it again and we were told to never bring it up again. No wonder it’s sinking the the titanic

Outstanding post, thank you!

Very comprehensive post. Sad. Spot on about marketing and wasted money for brand (re) launches. Should have just stuck with "That Was Easy" and saved the extra $$. A customer buying what are essentially commodities wants it to be easy above all else, so that always seemed pretty compelling when to me. I would have to think that everyone there is looking.