Thread regarding Paramount Global layoffs

Survivors guilt

I’ve been here a few years now and while it has not always been great working at this place, I have grown close to my coworkers. Tomorrow is going to be an awful day. They seem to be okay with it as we have known a long time this was going to happen sooner or later. It seems cathartic for them that it’s finally over after constantly waiting for each layoff over the last 2 years to finally be over to see if they were sticking around longer.

Myself and a few other contractors are what’s left of our department. Our fate is tbd and all we know is we have a month before we “wrap” or get extended. It’s been awful every year since the first big layoff watching coworkers from other teams go but it finally hitting home has left me numb.

I came here with aspirations and goals. This place used to be my childhood. I would sit on my basement floor watching hours of tv wanting to just grow up so I could go see blink 182 play a concert during spring break at Daytona beach. When I got here I had no clue the nightmare I was walking into.

I was told people here were petty, played favorites, and it was very political here as well as cheap. Every single one of those warnings were true… for some people here. But my coworkers, they cared they were understanding they were on my level of wanting to make this a better place but knew it was impossible due to our terrible leadership. They always had my back through some rough times and would always help when needed.

We are just numbers on paper to rich people getting richer by the day. Loyalty means nothing here and while I want to continue working to collect a check, it feels like I am just being held back while everyone else moves on because who knows how much worse it’s going to get.

Every goodbye email I get is surreal and I feel more and more hopeless about my chances of staying on. This place is full of bad vibes and even worse management. I know I should be grateful I kept my job or whatever it currently is but the cement ceiling above my head feels like it’s been pushed down even further.

I feel like I’m in a state of shock doom scrolling not paying any attention to the world around me right now because I can’t comprehend how on Monday when I sign on, my coworkers won’t be here to talk to.

Obviously we will keep in touch but it felt like eventually things would change for the better here maybe certain people would be pushed out making room for actual positive growth but no not this time.

This is my 7th layoff in 2 years. I watched many many good people lose their jobs since the first one. Many great creative people who kept this place alive with hope while cable was dying around us. Departments around me disappearing while some of the worst people moving up into positions of power. It was never fair.

Anyways I’m going to just hope for the best as usual. I’m so sorry to anyone who lost their job from this layoff and I’m sorry to the rest of us who have no clue what’s going to happen next.

Keep your heads up.


by
| 1781 views | | 10 replies (last October 31) | Reply
Post ID: @OP+1k8w5e68z

10 replies (most recent on top)

@cc this is the 7th layoff I have been through since June of 2022

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @cn+1k8w5e68z

It's work not a slumber party.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @ch+1k8w5e68z

@cc there have definitely been around 7ish layoffs. They may not have been huge in numbers but they happened. There have been 2/3 playoff rounds a year post covid.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @cf+1k8w5e68z

@OP 7th layoff in 2 years?? Nah, there were no 7 layoffs the last 2 years. Please get your numbers right.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @cc+1k8w5e68z

I agree with your write up but I can’t stress this enough to all working people. We are all just a number on a spreadsheet. I’ve never looked at my job as a family or my life. They do not care about us at the end of the day. I work a job to sustain my lifestyle. That is it.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @c2+1k8w5e68z

I felt so much survivors guilt every time I made it through in the past. This time… they got me. I’m finding it much easier to handle on this side of things. I’m overwhelmed by how many kind words I’ve received the past few days. I also feel an immense relief that all of the projects that have been piling up due to constant layoffs and no workload reductions are no longer my problem. If I were in your position I would quiet quit and spend work hours applying and interviewing before you have to be in office 5x a week

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @bv+1k8w5e68z

Everything you describe is happening here in Europe, which gives you an idea of ​​how serious the problem with corporate management really is. At least you've had some good colleagues. Here, anyone who's honest, creative, a hard worker, and allergic to bootlicking is harassed until they give up and leave. All of it, as you say, to make the unscrupulous dinosaurs even richer.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @b0+1k8w5e68z

The tribe has spoken

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @a5+1k8w5e68z

It will get worse as they acquire WarnerBros.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @a4+1k8w5e68z

It gets better. Go find a better job as an employee somewhere else, and stop being a contractor.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @a3+1k8w5e68z

Post a reply

: