Anyone heard about the upcoming layoffs in Digital? Looks like the new chief’s 9-month-long reorganization is wrapping up, and at least 100 people are being let go, with even more positions unmapped. HR and some departments have started holding career days, helping those potentially affected with trainings on creating strong resumes and cover letters, and preparing for interviews. It seems like this is about to happen soon.
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Leadership in AMS should be scaled down or at minimum rotated. The old guard in design and product is doing everything they can to keep their titles/jobs while blocking M3s from advancing and blocking their peers hired after 2021 from driving changes. Particularly in design, there is such toxicity and high churn. The product department seemed better but then we got NEWS of people being let go because they challenged these toxic practices.
Flywheels 😂
If they proceed with descaling Digital, let's hope they focus on management/director level. In Linz/Vienna management is not providing any sort of guidance or clear strategy for the product. Also director level feels like a redundant layer between line managers and upper management that like to keep themselves outside of daily business. It's not really clear what their purpose is and how they got into these positions (this seems to work way better at the other locations from what can be heard from other peers). The company would definitely benefit from descaling those areas.
Yes! Irrespective of strategy what Amsterdam loved about SZ was his leadership style! Now we are back to rumours and speculation, they hide behind “works council”. Be open and transparent please!!
Tobias is just following the brief from Arthur and Björn. Its quite simple. Descale Digital to the size of the business and make it work for other channels. Its understandable but the question is who does really want to follow his average non emotional and non visionary leadership style. After 9month still the same flywheels with no details about future strategy. Yes, SZ built an empire but behind was always drive, vision, team play and honest answers.
Any specific details? who / what would be affected?
The decision appears to have already been made, and it’s now on the work council’s table. A senior director said that for something as big as this, the council took a few months to review it and that they expect to hear more in August-September. Thanks for sharing what you know, it helps to be prepared
Haha oh boy those AMS “creatives” yeah know that been there
As a city ams is a dream. Herzo is where creativity goes to die
no idea why we still keep AMS it's useless at this point
No surprise re Linz. Most employees and even brand teams use strava
The office leases in Amsterdam and Linz have been cancelled. Apparently for Amsterdam there is a smaller office space in the center planned. Linz seems gone for good.
Because the attrition approach is cheaper than paying people to leave. SZ moving to ams was a both a political power play to try and get himself on the board and a selfish reason to leave hzo, the consequences of the former “dual location strategy” are still being felt today. I for one am tired of hearing TS’ emotionless responses to every question about these changes, how much negative EQ can one person have…
Why they always do “soft” lay offs? Why not simply be open and honest, announce a headcount reduction and offer voluntary redundancy, trust me people will be happy to take a package just to get out. Since The CDO leader exited they have never replaced him as head of Amsterdam, we all know what is happening, they take us a ls fools!
Our line manager (in confidence) told us that soft layoffs have already started and more are coming from September to December. The digital product teams have the biggest headcount-reduction targets.
Some people like Alexandra Popova from AMS are playing politics and trying to get their friends into strategically powerful positions. They do this when sh-t is ready to hit the fan. 6+ years in adi.
Locations seem to be Amsterdam (HR holding career days last few weeks) and Austria, where the project to integrate into Digital was put on hold since beginning of the year. Also, what was previously Digital Growth had a career week as well to prepare for what is to come. It looks like announcement might be imminent and execution as of August/September.
An amazing director profile in AMS was just let go. The story is that his contract was not renewed. Maybe a sign of things to come?
Any news on locations OP? Nothing has been communicated yet in hzo / ams other than senior leaders saying they’ve signed an NDA… it’s basically been a 2+ year holding pattern with this “reorg”..
If it happens, no surprise. Hope those 100 can be 1 or less (or relocated).