Thread regarding AT&T layoffs

You can't use the word "fair" to honestly explain anything in a late stage capitalist corporate society. Profit is king, incompetence and d-mb luck are rewarded. Look no further than our glorious leader Mr. Stankey. He has done nothing for the past 30+ years except cut costs, no one likes working with him, so he continuously gets shuffled up the ladder until he is on the top rung.

There is nothing "fair" about that. Making cells temporarily "green" on a spreadsheet is literally is only skill, and it nets him 20+ million a year.

I'm being surplussed, but I'm not angry at my co-workers that get to stay. We shouldn't be fighting over who has to go to office, or who gets to work from home, or who has to relocate. Can't you see it, guys? Everyone is screwed in some way. Some more than others. Last week, when I got the surplus notification, I thought I got the worst of it... now, seeing what's happening next, I feel like I actually got lucky. Damn.

"Virtual employees will and should be top targets for future surplus rounds."

No, it's stupid employees, such as yourself, A bit harder to identify, sure, but your boss likely knows.

I wouldn’t say it angers me, but it is quite unfair to have certain employees on the same team be virtual while others have to endure the extra stress and cost of commuting to an office three days a week.

It's because of people like you and comments like this, so many of us are straight up losing our jobs now, but that's cool... quite fair, don't you think? Everyone knows the executives were asking people to come back to the office for months, you were all refusing, constantly arguing, and I mean I don't necessarily blame you, I get it, but as a result, the company said sc--w it, everyone has to go in now. You can go in, still don't want to, but you can. I can not. So I'm being forced to leave. And I didn't move away from one. They closed it years ago and sent me to work from home. Don't speak to me about fairness. Good luck to you all, I really hope that traffic is not too terrible.

I'd save the anger for leadership. Arguing about designations is like arguing about pay. It will never be equal.

Get a grip people. If your paycheck comes if you RTO that is where you go. Enough said.

“ Virtual employees have to fly across the country 12x times a year to report to the office and pay for flights and hotels on their own dime. That amounts to a substantial pay cut.”

So substantial you are going to sell your house and relocate you and your family to a hub like others have too??

Oh no, not that substantial.

“ As someone who has been VO for close to two decades who lives hundreds of miles from one of the new hubs this is a significant impact to me and my family. As seen in other posts for many of us they have made exceptions due to our contribution to the company and our skills that are very difficult to replace.”

Not winning anyone over with your overinflated ego. Stankey comes across the same way.

Virtual employees have to fly across the country 12x times a year to report to the office and pay for flights and hotels on their own dime. That amounts to a substantial pay cut.

“ If people were hired as virtual workers or are not close to any office - why does it matter if they are allowed to stay virtual?”

Probably matters to the hundreds or thousands who also are not close to their office, but have to move or find a new job.

When you appease a minority of the population with special accommodations, the majority tend to feel slighted.

Virtual employees will and should be top targets for future surplus rounds.

"First off I disagree with any virtual status for employees.
But if that’s the case shouldn’t those employees be forced into lower TSR?"

Wow, if this persons IQ is over 60 I would be shocked, this has to be one of the d-mbest posts out here. As someone who has been VO for close to two decades who lives hundreds of miles from one of the new hubs this is a significant impact to me and my family. As seen in other posts for many of us they have made exceptions due to our contribution to the company and our skills that are very difficult to replace.

I am sure working virtual I produce a more meaningful contribution to the company in day than you do in a week. I get that intelligence is not something that is always in someones control, but choosing to maybe run your thoughts by someone or not drinking that next beer before posting something so intellectually stupid is a good idea. You should try that next time…

For many of us we will not move to a hub and we were not VO due to COVID, as I said above many of have been working successfully in the VO environment for years.

"Good news is they will be identifiable in webphone. If you are mad enough about having to relocate, but “John” was allowed to stay virtual just go on strike with any of John’s requests. He doesn’t NEED to collaborate so just ignore all virtual employees".

This is really poor advice. It will become obvious that it is YOU who is not the team player and one that AT&T (or any company) can do without. The virtual employee, by reason of their "designation", is not the enemy. Most people, including those who eventually will be classified as virtual, dislike this RTO policy and are very upset by the way it was rolled out. Why direct your anger at co-workers who had nothing to do with this?

As far as TSR goes, that is an interesting question. It may be addressed in the FAQs... I will have to look it up. When I was TW during the pandemic, my TSR seemed to be more aligned with where I lived, rather than the metro area that I am assigned to (about an hour away). But, they didn't seem to have the TSR right to begin with. My AT&T office is in a very expensive area, but the TSR always seemed to be a bit off because the housing, gas prices, etc., is one of the most expensive in the nation and the TSR for the office location didn't seem to reflect that.

I wouldn’t say it angers me, but it is quite unfair to have certain employees on the same team be virtual while others have to endure the extra stress and cost of commuting to an office three days a week.

I think the best way to manage this is to assign that designation per work group. I don’t think because one of my peers made their own decision to move out of state, they should be allowed a special exemption that I am not offered. Doesn’t seem right.

The best way to provoke anger and jealousy is to announce something that will negatively impact everyone and then start picking some for ‘special treatment’ , leaving the rest to feel even worse.
T is so good at it it’s like they took a class on emotional and psychological health and do the opposite.

I don’t understand why people care so much about this. If people were hired as virtual workers or are not close to any office - why does it matter if they are allowed to stay virtual? I’d rather see people keep their job than have to relocate for no reason at all. Everyone is impacted in their own way by this - make sure you and your family situation is cared for and pray that those around you are in a good place as well.

So much jealousy here. Most RTO is 3 days a week (except 1 org so far) so you’re still getting 2 days WFH. You don’t need to tear down those who get virtual designation because you’re mad for 3 days a week.

I would think most, if not all, virtual were hired into their orgs as such and outside of a hub already.

Let’s all be honest for a minute, if virtual work was so hard and “expensive “ all these employees wouldn’t be fighting to keep it.

Clearly working virtual is a huge benefit for those employees.

The post about C suite approval was not fake at all. That has been confirmed. There will be a minuscule amount of virtual positions approved. It’s not a blanket statement that none will be - but I’m some orgs there will be none. Bottom line is that if you’re holding your breath for a virtual designation and you haven’t already engaged with your leadership team to discuss it, I’d bank on not having one offered to you.

“ Virtual employees pay for their a/c and furnace, electrical, water, plumbing, ”

Because employees who drive in don’t pay for any of that!!??

Plus 5 dollars a gallon, work clothes, additional maintenance on vehicles,….

There are exceptions to every rule here when the friends and family clause is invoked.

“ printers, paper”

Lol, you virtual employees “faxing” that paperwork somewhere??

You are an id--t.

@dtc+1nl5WMIu I guessed we are paid for the value of our work, not for the cost of living. And what is 'similar work'? You sound as those lunatic communists from old USSR or nowadays NKorea.

I hope this is true OP. This is also what I’m hearing. The nonsense posted a week ago about requiring C Suite approval and none were getting approved was false information or at least was only specific to his/her org and not all orgs.
Keep us posted and I’ll do the same.

@dtc+1nl5WMIu Get yourself help.

Virtual employees pay for their a/c and furnace, electrical, water, plumbing, printers, paper and typically (per actual studies) work LONGER hours and are working while others are commuting.

Seek help for yourself. You’re clearly misinformed and honestly a bit nutty if this is what you think makes sense. Lower TSR… LMAO.!

First off I disagree with any virtual status for employees.

But if that’s the case shouldn’t those employees be forced into lower TSR?

It becomes a compensation issue. Their cost of living is lower than a person doing similar work that has to go to an office.

Good news is they will be identifiable in webphone. If you are mad enough about having to relocate, but “John” was allowed to stay virtual just go on strike with any of John’s requests. He doesn’t NEED to collaborate so just ignore all virtual employees.