Thread regarding IBM layoffs

@OP. Let’s take a peek at your 5 points.

1. Upskill in AI and Cloud. I agree, but keep in mind IBM has moved almost all AI development to India (why. Because India employees work for 1/3 the price), and they just announced that Google is the partner of choice for cloud. (Why. Because cloud is HW intensive and IBM wants out of the HW business) NET NET IBM NA is downsizing onshore AI and cloud quickly
2. Show high value and impact. Sorry that role moved to India and NA employees are viewed as a cost
3. Be visible and adaptable. I would redefine that to be innovative. Sorry but yet again IBM’s strategy is to buy innovation and layoff the legacy employees
4. Avoid routine roles Absolutely true as AI will replace them
5. Network internally Absolutely true, but you quantify by saying align with new and growing teams. Within IBM NA there are no new and growing teams. (See number 1 above they went to India) IBM’s desired result for IBM NA is to 1/2 the employee population by 2030, not grow it

The only way to greatly reduce your risk of being laid off in the current IBM is to become a band B or band A exec’s personal pet. Is that really the life you want to live? Amazing skills and a proven track record of walking on water help a little bit during layoffs, but not much. (I have been on the IBM mgmt side of layoffs and PIPs. HR and the execs bend and deform the rules of ethics to justify whatever they want. The lawyers make these perversions appear legal on the surface. Shareholder interests are not the primary concern either.)

@137 comedy gold, please keep it coming 😂. You honestly brighten my day with your inane ramblings.

@13e they say they are expanding in Albany now?! Not many postings and I find it hard to believe

This is most likely what AI is going to do to industry over the next few years. (Eg it’s going to replace repeatable tasks or approx 80% of the workload). NOTE that 20% of the workload can’t be replaced. Consulting take heed. (80% of the workload moved to India over the last 10 years will be automated)

https://www.fastcompany.com/91545170/ai-may-replace-80-of-skills-this-last-20-will-make-you-irreplaceable

How to avoid being laid off? Be a US employee and hang on long enough to be part of the headcount that IBM needs to qualify for a billion dollar investment by the US government. I may we may now have a clue as to why layoffs haven't happened yet this year.

@136 and others

More snide, immature adn negative posts from all of you. You laugh now because I am only Band 6 but I will be promoted soon and someday I will be a powerful Executive like Arvind

If your smart you'll read Lou Gerstner's Book Who Says Elephants Can't Dance? I have the audiobook too and often listen will I sleep so that I am not only inspired but also influenced by Mr Gerstner's wisdom.

@10y

Correct. IBM is a wonderful place to work at, plenty of time to do other non-IBM things that can benefit you greatly. Thank you IBM!

Ooo the little Indian AI bot is getting snippy. Maybe it’ll decide to delete itself soon.

@10b while you were collecting badges, I spend a couple of hours daily trading in NvIdia, apple, Amd, micron and others at the office. The manager holds to high esteem. When he asks, I tell him, I send 25% of my time up skilling. It is a win-win.
The capital gain so far is twice the ibm salary I draw. IBM is good place to work for. It allows to expand the horizons and portfolio.

@10p they could be one of the untouchables, don’t worry what others do

I was in the office today and reported someone because they were taking pictures of me while I was shopping for usb cables on Amazon bcos the IBM procurement process is so broken this is the easiest solution. The person taking the photos were pretending to work, they said they were doing Think40 education but given IBM abandoned that a couple of years ago I knew they were lying. Hopefully HR will take action soon by handing the happy snapper an RA.

And to the person who came to the Office today and spent your entire Half day at the office shopping on Amazon, know that you were being observed. I have nearly 100 hours Think 40 that I completed on my own Time. I saw you and I don't approve you using company laptop and time to do personal business

I might even hav pictures. I might even send those pictures to HR. Layoffs are a hard choice for Executives but for you it will be a little easier.

If you are not upskilling, sadly you will become redundant and dead weight. Arvind, Jim and Joanne encourage all of us to advance our skills and technical knowledge.

My manager includes me on all projects. All of my learning is done when I have free time and on weekends. Band 7 is close I know it

@yv it’s funny because there is only a small few at Albany with this status and we all know who they are.

@xw there is an untouchable person here in Albany with hundreds of hours a year and the person just clicks through them and never gets marked low performer . Makes their own hours, etc. The high performer in same group never did even 40 hours

@vf I appreciate the fact you are just trolling everyone and it is pretty funny (IBMers need a laugh during these bad times at IBM). But, you don't realise that what your fictitiously claiming is you will have spent 3 weeks of work doing pointless badges, while the rest of your team had to do all the work 😂 . You make it sound like your manager is keen to keep you away from the real work, did you sc--w up a lot? These claims (funny as they are) are not the wins you think they are 😂. Anyway, you are very entertaining so pleased keep posting.

@rb sad but true and I also was labeled a super learner every year for 4 consecutive years. All of that means absolutely nothing.

I will be taking off Thursday and Friday again. My first line recommended a few badges I should look at. This should get me close to 100 hours. I am an IBM Superlearner so I want to keep that status.

@rb very common. Everyone I personally was high or top performer

@nw you are dealing with an Indian Insane Id--t (@h7). He keeps going on and on like the Eveready bunny in the TV ads...

@qx Yup, I was a top performer, just delivered a "cutting edge" product supporting AI, loved by my managers... and then... wham, bam, thank you maam. Gone at the end of the year.

Sadly you are incorrect. I was part of the last RA in December with all the skills you mention. I had over 10 years experience in ibm cloud and was part of an AI initiative within the company. I believe it was my age, band and salary that was the cause. I saw quite a few colleagues let go that day all with varying levels of experience. IBM RA’s are truly just a numbers game. If you can find something outside IBM go. Run.

@nw More anger and bitterness spewing like hot lava. Which accomplishes Nothing. I feel bad for Arvind and other executives who have to deal with all this negativity.

@h7

Total id--t… keep on sleeping 4 hours a night, you will be dead soon and never reach your executive goal. Mo--n!

15 % need to be below target.

the engineers hired by manager are his achievement. meet or exceed.

the engineers who worked with the manager, knows everyone long time and knows the manager does not have a clue. on target

me, you who does a great job: PIP
no choice.

forget about anything else. how your manager can survive thanks to you

@hs it’s a minimum of one in six

@h7 here is the hard truth. You can do all these things, and more, and your number will still come up. Believing that ANYONE is too important to be shown the big blue door is nothing short of delusional. But, carry on...

That is a fact...

So are layoffs happening or coming or not? It seems like no they aren’t

They would still have 15% low performers no matter how much AI you have under your belt.

@d5 it’s funny that yo think this will matter

Give Bob your lunch money and he'll put in a good word for you.

How to avoid being laid off? You can't. IBM could RA your entire team. Doesn't matter if you are the best of the best or just phoning it in, you're gone either way.

THINK40... We were told a couple of years ago this was no longer tracked or cared about. I've not visited the site ever since then. I'm surprised to hear it still exists, maybe they forgot to turn off the server 😂

@g0

I am not naive or d-mb. My dream is to be an Executive so I put in the hard work to make that happen, I have over 90 Think 40 hours, I go to the Office at least 3 days a week sometimes 5, and I do a lot more too. I also make sacrifices in other parts of my life to make this happne. I usually only sleep 5 hours every night, sometimes only 4

The Truth to staying employed at IBM is you have to becom too Important to be laid off.

@OP This post is so silly. Either you're naive or just d-mb. You can be the best at the intitiative du jour, have a hundred Think40 hours, be the highest performer on your team, loved by your manager, give up your nights, weekends, holidays... and when (not if) your number comes up on the spread sheet, it's buh-bye.
How to Avoid Being Laid Off at IBM? Quit first. That's it.

@e8 if above 40 it’s harder to get laid off but they are more eager to put you on pip

Also, OP forgot "Don't turn 40".

@cq

I now have over 90 hours of required think 40 Education.

I am officially PMP certified. Finished my education and took the test late last night. So far this month I am SCRUM and PMP.

Next is finishing up a couple of badges. I will be done by tomorrow night