Thread regarding Staples Inc. layoffs

CEOs and private equity firms have been gutting companies to line their pockets for years at the expense of average Americans:

http://fortune.com/2017/07/20/ceo-pay-ratio-2016/

https://www.counterpunch.org/2017/01/25/how-private-equity-firms-are-designed-to-earn-big-while-risking-little-of-their-own/

And we as voters let it happen.

If you don't realize that H1B and offshore is nearly all that is left at Staples, you haven't been paying attention.

cutting people too stay alive and do what? Keep trying to get everyone to buy toilet paper!

So lost track of not how to stay alive but lead! Yeah go pay amazon and micorsoft to do what staples should have been doing.

I will never buy staples T paper!

Someone had said that private equity doesn't care about people - its true. I was laid off with Staples right after the Office Depot merger fell through. I worked on that project, I also worked on the contracts that off shored and ultimately ended peoples jobs with Staples....including my own. They target those who have the higher salaries. I'm sorry your husband went through the layoff, he will be better off. Please make sure he's networking and keeping his skills up to date since having such longevity in one place can make your skillset stale. I'm NOT saying this is true for your husband at all. But just precautionary.

I typically wouldn't respond to a troll, especially one who feels entitled to opportunity because they are younger. BUT, I do have to educate, unemployment is not your full salary its only a percentage and is capped. So yes, there is a minor lifeline with unemployment, but its not one to support a family. I hope that one day, if you're ever in a position where your laid off, that you'll be afforded the kindness and empathy these people deserve.

Best of luck to your husband - make sure he's mourning his loss (its a true loss) and after a couple of weeks of decompression, get back on the horse and go out and get that job!

“We are in a declining sector and change is needed to survive”

Survive? Changes are not being made for survival. Staples already failed. They were bought by a private equity firm. Sycamore is not looking for survival. They’re looking to make money. That’s their business. So nothing or no one matters at this point. Nothing or no one! Hint, hint...

The age of the person staying or leaving is not material. What is important is peoples lives are impacted due to the company having to make decisions that will keep them in business. We are in a declining sector and change is needed to survive. In regards to senior management staying or leaving let's see what the future brings. Best of luck to all who were impacted!!

Lady whose husband got laid off after two decades. Look, don't comment on those young ones still employed! Your husband enjoyed Staples' abundance during the good days. Time to allow the new generation a peice of the pie, although not as great as those good old days. Nothing unfair about what happened. You should be greatful he was employed that long. We haven't even seen a decade come and go here. Don't be selfish, I'm sorry to say. Now if he was treated badly during his departure, then talk about that. Otherwise there is no Royalty treatment when people are laid off. If you are cut, you pack and leave. Period. Not sure what you were expecting. Sorry I'm not trying to be insensitive to your feels, but really ... just be greatful. Remember your husband can collect unemployment upto 6 months in MA. That's a plus right there. So no crying please.

I am sorry this happened to your family. I was let go today and I am 6 months pregnant with twins. Cobra is not something I can afford and I had planned on going on leave soon. I really had no clue it was coming, we had just hired someone in my same position 2 months ago. I got the call today at home since I work 3rd shift so I am not sure who else has been affected at my building. I hope that your hubby can find something quick, as for me I'm not sure I can hide this belly at a job interview.

If they're not cutting the fat on Executive Row then you know who is behind these decisions. If the goal is to save $$ they should be getting rid of the millionaires first.

I am so sorry to hear about it, but like it's mentioned above layoffs are are not indicative of lack of competence at all since it wasn't a performance based layoff, they are pretty much cost cutting.

Which means someone at the top is predicting cost & skills for survival for near to long term.

In the past people who had been layedoff where aborbed in other depts, funny enough some of them got paid a significant more. Which tells you if one dept made a decision to layoff doesn't mean your skills are not valuable, it's just like asking to reduce weight by cutting a body part, no matter what is done there is going to be a pain.

Don't love your company but love your job, you never know when your company stops loving you!

Having said that market outside is very good, Brush your skills and you (your husband) should be on your way to new gig soon!

Good luck!

Sorry that this happened to your family. It seems like you and your husband are strong people but I know it hurts. I left the company recently after seeing this happen to so many valuable peers.

So many people try to wash it away by saying: "It's just how companies do things", "Companies don't care", "That's business"... But companies are created by people. Companies are run by people. Companies exist to serve people. Thats how they make money. Not all companies survive and this one is one of the non-survivors.

I understand your current pain and know you'll both be stronger because of this. I too wish that it wasn't simply done with the explanation that, "it's just a business decision".

People need to treat people like people. No one is saying give me a job for life. All I'm saying is to show some class. You're a dying company and dismissal is going to happen to all. So at least do it with a human heart, just like you'd expect to be treated when it's your turn.

I can only imagine how frustrated you must be. Your husband’s layoff isn’t a reflection of him and his work, but rather a reflection of a dying Staples. I wish him luck in his job search and much brighter days ahead.

Don't worry, those other young guys will get fired too. There isn't necessarily rhyme or reason to it, you shouldn't take it personally. At this point in Staples life cycle, everyone will be gone soon (regardless of tenure/loyalty, etc). BTW, companies don't value loyalty, they exploit it by lower than market annual raises, and adding scope to your job over time. Remember they're just exchanging money for work, nothing more.