Thread regarding Cisco Systems Inc. layoffs

@qx im sorry you were impacted but be mindful of the nature of relationship at work. We don’t know how to handle that situation until we become the impacted person!

Feeling gutted. I was notified last Thursday by my Director. I know my team had a meeting scheduled for Monday, and I'm assuming they would have announced my departure, like the last time we had layoffs.

But not a single coworker has reached out to me. Even my supervisor hasn't reached out to me.

I worked so hard to support my teammates over the years, and not a word from anyone.

There are many people in the company that are there to make money, not friends. Their intentions will become known to you as you work with them over the years. These are not your "ride or die" friends, but rather fair weather friends who will not be there when you need them.

lol you fell in too deep. grow up.

In fairness, those still in place have to pick up all the work no one is doing. It’s overwhelming with the stress of “whoa, that was a close call. I better work harder to be irreplaceable so I’m not hit next time” (which is a myth…you’re just a line item. You’ll eventually be impacted. Cisco doesn’t care about you)

We don’t need to be a therapist. We can drop a quick message/email letting the person know how much we enjoyed working with them. It’s basic kindness. Takes 5 mins. Maybe they’ll return my call when I’m hit.

@bz it is a job not a community center. You make friends at work because you spend a lot of time together there. How many of these people do you see during your non-work hours? Have you met their families? When's their birthday? Chances are everything you know about these people is only work related and that just ended so why are you so surprised you don't hear from them? If you know someone both at work and in your non-work life and they drop you because you got laid off that would be strange but that is usually not the case.

I hear you man! Cisco a toxic and fake culture! Assume any of your coworkers is scheming against you! Cisco is not a place where you make friends!

Your post really hit home for me. Before Cisco I was laid off from another Tech Company. I was shocked and hurt at the friends that ghosted me, even after I called and messaged them. (A few kind ones threw me a going away party..so not all bad).
Over the next few years most of the 👻👻👻 had felt the sting of a layoff themselves. What really surprised me was that three of them reached out to me. The same ones that never responded in my hour of need, now were asking for my help.
I never returned any of their calls or replied to their messages.
One of the colleagues who threw me the party I helped get a job. When you said you remember the ones that ghosted, you were so right.
I hope everyone takes a lesson especially if you have never been laid off (yet). You never know when you will need a former colleague's help. Do unto others.

@OP I am one of those impacted this time. It is a lonely situation. But your post was very thoughtful and strangely made me feel better. When my team was laid off 3 years ago, i had a weekly Webex team meeting set up, to see how they were doing, discussing progress with any interviews, provided guidance on the severance bundle of documents, reached out within Cisco to see if I could get them other positions - and today we all still keep in touch

they ignore you but then stalk your LinkedIn to see where you land and how long it took. Then when they are impacted want to "connect"

News flash: once one gets the notice, essentially you have been diagnosed with the plague and no one will talk to you. Mine was years ago, and have zero communication with anyone at Cisco. So much for collaboration and teamwork. Right.

@ab wrong. If you care, you know. I always knew who was hit. Everyone talks about it. I’m not even there anymore and I know, of friends who were hit this week.

@OP we, the so called survivors, usually don’t know who were impacted before he/she left for good. So if you value the relationship with your coworkers, reach out to say farewell!

Good thoughtful post. This happens all the time, just the perspective changes when one goes through the LR experience. Often folks do not know who is impacted.

Those who know and choose to ghost you and think you have a disease that must be avoided at any cost. Best to ignore these folks for ever. They were never friends, just opportunistic acquiescence. Deep long lasting connections are made knowing layoffs is deep rooted in corporate culture, and a mandatory phase.

Finance is real bad about this. We lost two people, and everyone just acted like they didn't existed. I got in trouble for being upset they got let go, and bringing them up. They were suddenly taboo. Like literally next day on the calls everyone was happy-go-lucky. They will get their comeuppance.