My beef with HP is that it is laying off people not to improve the business, but to boost the bottom line. To add "shareholder value." To meet analysts' earnings expectations. The company doesn't consider cutting things like yacht cruises for executives during OpenWorld or golf outings and cocktail receptions during other trade shows. And don't try to convince me that those activities bring in business. If someone buys from HP because he got a round of golf and some booze afterward, there's something wrong with his business model. HP does need to downsize and retool, but it needs to do it strategically, not slashing and burning like it is now. Layoffs may make a quick impact on the bottom line, but they can kill a company in the long run.
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5 years from now, the company will be completely different, there is no more HP as we knew it. Hardware will be spun off, at least consumer side
It's really easy to say that the company needs to retool and downsize, but I've worked here for 25+ years, I am 4 years from my retirement, and if laid off now, who is going to hire me. When people hire you they want to invest in you, if I am at the end of my career who is going to invest in me, that's the question. I think HP lost it's way long time ago, I am actually surprised that I lasted this long, always had good managers though, so I cannot complain. HP is not one company, it's 100s of smaller teams that when joined together make one large company - some teams are good, some groups are not, if you are lucky enough to work for a solid team with a nurturing leader that takes care of his team, you can ignore all negative things and poor direction that comes from the top. Often you cannot do that 100% as some executive decisions simply thoroughly affect everyone, but at least being a part of a healthy group typically helps you. Anyhow, I hope that I somehow survive the cuts this time around, I hope to be here for 4 more years and hopefully I will leave on my own terms.