Thread regarding AT&T layoffs

Who Helps Select Those to be Surplus?

Who exactly has any input on who within a team ultimately gets selected for surplus? I presume that HR collects certain data points on people that would be considered a prime target, but does a Level 2 or 3 managing supervisor over a team of people have input? Or even know upfront or have a heads up that some other entity selected an employee under them for surplus? Can an employee go straight to their Level 2 or 3 or higher supervisor and ask to be surplus, successfully? Or will they be told they have nothing to do with any of it, but actually do know, just told to keep quite.

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| 2051 views | | 16 replies (last August 29, 2020) | Reply
Post ID: @OP+16F08O5Y

16 replies (most recent on top)

Its really a butt-kissing decision, and I promise you that is no joke. Some people are just good at doing that and the manager falls for it. I just retired after 41 years and I saw it every day I was there. Managers that do nothing, take 2-hour lunches, come in when they want, take their equipment to Florida and get on wifi down there. People have no clue, I am so glad to be gone, and I never played that game with them but I could name plenty that did and are.

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Post ID: @1rcy+16F08O5Y

I asked my supervisor to surplus me and he gave me a lame excuse. I just don't think the 1st level has any input whatsoever! They're just the acting hatchet men for the upper crusty layers.

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Post ID: @1ckn+16F08O5Y

These answers are BS. There is no way this is how the last round went down. Too many good people got 14 days while plenty of old burn bags stayed. The lists were generated - time in role and age for sure - and sat on for weeks under NDA. And by age, it was the under 50 group. But the old farts will just have to leave on their own.

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Post ID: @1gnx+16F08O5Y

In this environment today, what are the odds of just going to your manager and asking to become surplus?

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Post ID: @1yey+16F08O5Y

It’s based on ranking. If the AVP goes down by 10% managers rank the people (ADs, Dir, AVP) and then they mash the list together. If you deliver and are liked your ok. If your boss doesn’t like you.....well you can figure it out.

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Post ID: @rfq+16F08O5Y

Someone posted the below a few months ago and I actually saved it because it rings true with what I've experienced.

"Finance sets macro target, HR allocates the reductions to the SVP and they decide whether to apply evenly across their org or target certain groups. The vp/avp/director receives the top down target and template to stack rank their employees. This information is compiled within a generally short period of time (eg 1-2 days) and submitted back up the line and over to HR."

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Post ID: @uvy+16F08O5Y

My director claimed to not know anything about why the people who got canned got canned, then he spent the next four months talking about how horrible they were and how they were the real reason at&t is in the gutter.

He'll make a great VP someday.

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Post ID: @fgv+16F08O5Y

It's amazing how the ones "in the know" drop you like a hot potato weeks before the news is delivered, yet claim they had no knowledge and it was not their decision.

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Post ID: @kxt+16F08O5Y

This question gets asked almost every day. Generally—Your Director or L3 tells them how many to cut, this number was provided to the L3.Your AM or L2 has the most input. Many of them will say they didn't have any input when they are informing you that you are cut; they are lying. Most poor performers are already gone at this point...so those remaining that are able to stay here are either bonafide superstars or simply buddies.

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Post ID: @naa+16F08O5Y

level 2

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Post ID: @lne+16F08O5Y

Performance ratings are provided to Directors and then they and L2 managers make decisions. That’s for non bargained employees.

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Post ID: @ayg+16F08O5Y

I believe there are those L1 & L2 managers that would rather make your existence within T so miserable that you just decide to hold up the white flag and retire on your own even though you would be the most obvious choice during a surplus.

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Post ID: @cxc+16F08O5Y

In the Legacy T Union , it is strictly based on your seniority, If they surplus 25 , the bottom 25 in seniority are Surplussed, Nothing else matters. It may not be fair but that's what was negotiated in the contract

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Post ID: @xnl+16F08O5Y

HardtruthBob, but does that VP/AVP matriculate down to the Level 2's and 3's, and they are the deciders of who in their team becomes that magic number or percentage? Surely they got some say in it, as they don't want to keep dead wood and kick out the top performer.

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Post ID: @teg+16F08O5Y

Likely HR gives every Vp or AVP a number and then it's up to them to make determinations based on what projects your involved with, how valuable knowledge wise you are to the group, your age, salary etc..

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Post ID: @eep+16F08O5Y

me ... you are now surplus for asking ... goodbye

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Post ID: @sjf+16F08O5Y

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