My manager claims to have no knowledge or input in who was cut during ‘efficiency’ layoffs. Is this true or is it a cop out so they don’t look like the bad guy?
20 replies (most recent on top)
Have you hugged your scrum master today? If not, you should! Sr. Engineering Directors and Managers routinely ask for our input!
@yk+1jtpz8ww2, stop being naive, @hn+1jtpz8ww2 is correct. There are many ways that dirty managers can influence the upper management decisions.
That is a greatly simplistic view of how this process works. It depends on the business group and the OC +1 how this is handled. We are currently in a massive efficiency wave, like 30% by mid next year. No one beyond OC +2 knows and won’t be informed until very late.
If you happen to have a new manager (not the one who hired you) who doesn't like you, he/she will use this common practice to get rid of you regardless of your actual performance. Here is how your direct manager influences your layoff fate:
(1) Your direct manager has weekly or bi-weekly meetings with his/her boss and he/she constantly gives a poor feedback on your performance and tell them that you are no good.
(2) During your performance review, your manager ignores any positive 360 reviews from other managers and colleagues. Then, your direct manager rigs your performance evaluattion with fake stories and downgrades it.
(3) By default, your name shows up in the Sr. manager's layoff list for the next round.
(4) When the official layoff notification is announced, your manager tell you "sorry, I was just notified by my Sr. manager yesterday, there is nothing I can do about their decision.
M5? Yes
M4? Likely
M3? 50/50
M1/2? Nah
I was the only one in my group laid off during a wave last year. 30+ days later, I received a needs improvement review even though my manager said I was doing a great job. Now it all makes sense ...
As a manager who had to displace 2 people that were two levels below me, I had less than a week’s notice and was asked not to tell their direct manager until the day before. I was also recently displaced and my boss found out 2 days in advance.
Depends on the situation. The Tuesday layoffs generally middle managers are told the list is coming late monday. That’s when they see who is on it & schedule Tuesday meetings. They don’t know who beforehand. Location strategy or full team cuts are different situations.
@cb+1jtpz8ww2, it will not change. Charlie wants to keep it that way.
The stack ranking management style, layoffs, war on employees, etc. is toxic af. It will hurt the culture which will hurt the long term prospects of the firm. Bank of America has been using this trash for a long time and their stock still su-ks. The Jack Welch system is bad for culture. It may be good for short term financial results, but long term it will harm the company. There are much healthier ways to create a high performance culture without pitting employees against each other. Layoffs and stack ranking are a symptom of systemic disease. It's unsustainable and not a healthy business practice.
Absolutely false. Managers are always consulted with and notified.
Yes, they do. I knew almost 60 days out when my last day would be along with others in the same wave. Manager was able to keep who they wanted.
like everything else around here it varies. although from what I gather, most low to middle level managers get little to no notice and have little to no say.
I know three people who were told only a day before who they were going to have to displace. Unless you are 4 down from the CEO, the middle managers have zero visibility who is going to get laidoff.
For 'location strategy' based on my experience I would say whether or not relocation was offered seemed to be controlled by the manager, but not whether I would be affected in general. Not sure about other types of cuts.
It depends. If there are 1 or 2 out of team being displaced, the manager is asked for performance input to help selection. But, may not have a lot of lead time. In case where the full group goes, the manager can be blindsided (especially when the manager is going too).
@af+1jtpz8ww2, yes, plausible deniability!
middle managers are blindsided.
Manager full of BS. Manager doesn't have control on Remote "location strategy" displacements. But managers tip the scales and influence upper management on which directs get on the (non remote) displacement list. Managers rank their directs and flag people they think are more critical to business than others. Managers also determine your performance ratings. If you receive unexpected bad review (previously Meets or above and now IC or needs improvement), they are setting you up as "poor performer" to justify displacing you. Ive heard manager's manager (or above) have rejected direct managers rating and ordered a lower rating for employee (forcing the "stacked ranking" bell curve). Manager may not know when cuts will happen, but definitely know who will be cut since they influenced the decisions. Ive heard managers are trained to say they had no idea if asked - plausible deniability.
Some times yes, other times no. It depends on how the Sr. managers communicate to his frontline managers. Some Sr. managers are transparent, but others are very distrusting, secretive and controling.