Thread regarding Intel Corp. layoffs

My group in IT is being hit hard. But of course NOT management!! If you don't drink the kool aid and kiss assyou are out of here period.

I have had to do it many times through the years...9 out of 10 times people I heard from actually said it was the best thing that happened to them. All of them found better jobs and were happier at other companies. Most of them said, "I was in a rut, and because of the re-org I got off of my butt, and found something I really enjoyed."

once you promote up to Gr08 you're expected to become a ppl manager, which unfortunately isn't always what's best for ICs. There are some amazing ICs at high grade levels but they make horrific people managers...Intel used to put all FLMs through rigorous manager training and PMs were supposed to perform only mgmt tasks, not IC tasks...they were supposed to delegate their IC work to members of their team. That has gone away, so now you see managers continuing to do IC work but in charge of h/c as well. Completely detrimental to business.

I actually felt really bad for the manager who was in my ISP meeting. I think my current/last manager is one of the rare outstanding managers in FSM/TMG. And this manager had nothing to do with the mess that was my focal review experience as they transferred into our group after the fact. I would absolutely work for this manager and do not envy the task they have moving forward within a group suffering the impacts of previous poor leadership.

But my previous manager? He's an incompetent manager. He survives by being friends/drinking buddies with other higher level managers.

In a dying company, the opportunities to grow and shine are few. It used to be a plentiful field of projects and startups. Now, there is nothing left but to sustain what's left. The only way to rate an exceeds and SSL 1 or 2 is to play the games and get in tight with those of influence. I've been on nights for years and its like I'm invisible. I could cure cancer and still rate an S/SSL3 or 4. Agreed that most first line managers are wholly ill prepared for people management. They get a technical degree then jump to management for some stupid reason. They are utterly worthless.

in TMG they have very high standards and only hire the best most qualified engineers. Then they turn those same people into managers that are completely unqualifed for their jobs because that is the only real career path. I never understood why they do this. In the old days it was probably hubris. Now it is probably just learned behavior since it prevents external competitors from hiring those same people for technical roles.

Don't trust any of these managers. They all have their favorite he's that kiss their asses and target the people they don't like or those that don't give them good feedbacks. Its like giving a machine gun to a 4 yr old . They have no clue what they are doing to peoples lives. BASTARDS.

This just reinforces how bad of a criterion that SL4 + successful for your latest rating is for layoffs. There are many, many bad reasons that managers give good employees SL4s. Mine gave me one because I'm new to Intel... and now I'm gone.

In defense of the managers: most wafer manufacturing management (GLs, OMs, AMs) are very new at their job with less than 2 years of experience. There's very little training provided to them and there's no base standard for focal ranking to be honest. The meritocracy idea stopped being practiced 12 yrs ago, now it's all guessing games, favoritism, and meeting rating quotas and being completely unprepared to answer why anyone got a R&R score or stock for that focal year. It's sad to see management acting clueless and struggle trying to do their job blindly, they have bosses and they must follow what they say. yes there are some really bad managers as well.

I can only speak for 1 manager of a largish team. I know he (1) had no more warning than his team that this was coming (2) has argued for higher rewards for some reports but they got downgraded due to the quota, he argued and didn't win. He was upset then and even more upset now and worries for his team members.

I have this exact experience...my manager did not want me to move to another group and gave me SSL4 during focal.

My advice, when you know you are getting close to the 1:1 for the kick - blast an email to all you know and include your manager and his peers and management chain to let them know about the unjust SSL4 you were given. This way at least you can let the rest of the world know about what really happened.

You do realize that Intel senior management & HR forces people managers to fill a quota for IR & SSL4/5? Even if all their employees are all the same they still need to hit the quota. This is all in the name of weeding out the least productive and low performers, whether it is true or not. Standing up to this practice earns the manager an IR or SSL4/5 on his own Focal review. Compounding the problem is that they fill management positions with people that have no or little people management training. The system is setup to pit employees against each other. These are just some of the reasons why there is no collaboration or teamwork at Intel. The managers for the most part don't like it anymore than individual contributors. This won't change under the current executive leadership. Don't blame your manager. The blame lies at the top of the company.

@H6NzCsC-mnn, My friend who has been a shining star and been getting promotion many times just got a SSL4 from his manager for the 1st time because he didn't like him. He left in December to work for another group but this manager still gave him a SSL4 and ISP scheduled for Wed. Agree, these idiot managers have too much power in their disposal and they use it. Bastards.

@rrr here, should add that I'm sure the majority of managers are more devastated than the people they're letting go. I'm just speaking of the bad apples and the potential for major abuse of this new system.

I bet there are managers out there who love this. Don't like somebody? Give them SSL4 next focal and watch them get fired. It's so easy to justify SSL4 that it's laughable. "they're a great person, but they're lagging a bit from where they really should be...". Good luck disproving that in an open door review.

I'm so glad that managers have found a way to grab even more power over IC's.

OP: this post is offensive considering there have been Intel managers (multiple) in the past who have committed suicide for having to lay off ees. May you learn grace in your toughest times...if you are, in fact, an Intel ee who has been impacted, you just lost empathy for your situation by displaying the obvious reason why you were shown the door. Best...