Thread regarding Nike Inc. layoffs

Maybe it’s time for all of us to look for better jobs

Having the threat of layoffs for months over our heads is the sign of incompetent leadership. I fear that this time around it is also a sign of the company on its way to fade out. This will be hard for both those who will be laid off and facing this job market and those who stay. It will all be very hard especially for veterans who have already spent a decade or more here. Unfortunately, I think staying will not mean much, as I do not see how this brand can turn around and actually have a future.

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Post ID: @OP+1r4iIDWl

21 replies (most recent on top)

Highly suggest looking for new opportunities. I left Nike for a new opportunity and it’s so refreshing not having to live in fear of job security every couple years like I did at Nike

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Post ID: @2gxa+1r4iIDWl

Maybe I'll get a job at the post office.

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Post ID: @1jhz+1r4iIDWl

@1nhv, government work does have its advantages. Especially with job security, work hours, and generous pension benefits.

But here’s the thing: the stereotype that government doesn’t hire the best and brightest is, unfortunately, well-earned. If you have even a little bit of ambition, if you’re smarter than the average bear (as many at Nike are), if you’re an “out of the box” thinker, or if you don’t like working in very highly structured environments with lots of rules for everything, government work can be immensely frustrating.

There is a prescribed process for EVERYTHING and that process is broken or ill-advised at least 50% of the time. You won’t speak up about it though because if you think rocking the boat is bad for your career at Nike, oh my…try it with government. It is not a place where you ever, ever, EVER suggest change.

Oh, and your co-workers? At least half of them will know they can’t be easily fired…and will perform accordingly. It’s extremely frustrating to work with large numbers of people who are there only for the paycheck and don’t even attempt to pretend otherwise. I once had an admin refuse to help me with an important project because I urgently needed about 10 minutes of her time and it was already 4:35PM. She told me “My work day ended 5 minutes ago so no, I can’t help you.” While some of you might applaud that, in reality it’s disheartening to have a subordinate of yours that you rely on refuse to give you 10 minutes of badly needed time because of the clock on the wall. That would never happen at Nike where most of us have our colleagues’ backs when help is urgently needed.

I left government work after I overachieved one year and received a mediocre performance evaluation for it. My supervisor literally said, “Not all of your colleagues are as talented as you, so when you work longer hours or do work at a higher level than your colleagues, you need to better take into consideration how that makes your colleagues feel.” In other words, higher performance than your colleagues is actively discouraged and frowned upon. Which is especially maddening when many of your colleagues are low performers to begin with.

The biggest problems with government work are a lack of accountability at all levels and incentive structures that are completely upside down. It makes for a really discouraging work environment. I’d also say that a lot of government departments and bureaus are more broken, inefficient, and politicized than the public even realizes. If a person went from a place like Nike to government work…I think that person would be somewhat shocked. Unpleasantly so.

I left government work after 7 years and you couldn’t pay me enough to go back. I suppose if you’re the type of person who does just want a steady paycheck, you’re able to put up with a TON of bureaucracy, you’re happy to work around mediocre colleagues, and you have no real concern for or investment in the actual work you do every week, government work is absolutely an option. If you’re even a little bit ambitious or bright however, working within government is a constant exercise in frustration.

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Post ID: @1wxm+1r4iIDWl

@1igj those targets aren't accurate, not since the summer

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Post ID: @1wyp+1r4iIDWl

Someone apparently has been at Nike too long

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Post ID: @1vhl+1r4iIDWl

@ 1nge+1r4iIDWl again, what are you talking about?

Bonus for Sr manager is standard at 15%. Director at 20%. This is standard.

Nike is THE ONLY company I know giving RSUs for anyone under director (grade50). Do you know something I don’t?

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Post ID: @1igj+1r4iIDWl

Nike base is not too far off PNW standards but bonus and RSU structure is comically low. If you have been at the swoosh too long you need to go give the market a test drive (not now the market su-ks).

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Post ID: @1nge+1r4iIDWl

I’ve worked all over the PNW tech sector. If you’re director or above Nike pay isn’t too bad… about on par with other companies I’ve worked for. If you’re any sort of individual contributor you will make more elsewhere.

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Post ID: @1pkh+1r4iIDWl

@1whv+1r4iIDWl Literally not Hr not talking points but just based on my experience, and everyone I know has given the same range for Nike regardless of group,

If pay is better elsewhere do tell, I’d happily jump and may just be looking in the wrong pool

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Post ID: @1mso+1r4iIDWl

@1glk+1r4iIDWl Maybe Nike pays better in the group you work in but definitely not in the one I left. I left Nike and got a MASSIVE pay raise and the same is true of everyone I know.

Stop spouting Nike HR talking points

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Post ID: @1whv+1r4iIDWl

@1hpb+1r4iIDW Seeing as I’ve worked for 4/5 too competitors and Nike still doubled my salary, Nike definitely does pay better.

Director Nike: 180-250 base
Director Adi: 130-180 base
Director LuLu: 130-170 base
Director new balance: 130-200 base

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Post ID: @1glk+1r4iIDWl

@1uqg+1r4iIDWl Glad paying for that sphere ad was worth everyone’s jobs!

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Post ID: @1knu+1r4iIDWl

The reality is, if you're still at Nike after the 2021 re-org, you're "officially" cucked to Nike and quite frankly, you've gotten what you've deserved if you hung around after that complete cluster.

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Post ID: @1qyu+1r4iIDWl

Hope everyone saw this amazing innovation from Nike https://sneakernews.com/2024/02/09/nike-air-max-dn-msg-sphere/

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Post ID: @1uqg+1r4iIDWl

Yup. For anyone tired of corporate nonsense such as the threat of ongoing layoffs (which all of them do now), might be useful to consider public jobs such as State of Oregon. Like anywhere, the State has pros and cons (lower pay and no bonuses, otoh fully remote work, no layoffs, reasonable working hours, pension). A friend of mine made this switch recently and he said the pay cut was initially tough to get past but the sense of security and "I pay next to nothing for the best health care in the country" was a huge boost to his mental health and his family's needs.

So that's my plan now - living wage + remote work + awesome health care (with some lifestyle adjustments given the pay cut). I'll spend my free time with the wife & kids rather than grinding for a corp that doesn't give a cr-p about me. If you can get past the money trap and the (fake) cache of working at a name brand like swoosh, public jobs could be a good option for you too.

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Post ID: @1nhv+1r4iIDWl

Go in with the attitude

You’re not laying me off. I’m laying you off.

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Post ID: @1eta+1r4iIDWl

Nike definitely does NOT pay better…

And completely agree on the weird feeling of having your network that you have built up over a couple of decades disappear. Sad.

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Post ID: @1hpb+1r4iIDWl

@1zxh+1r4iIDWl don't forget pays better than it's next 5 competitors as well

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Post ID: @1bqu+1r4iIDWl

Nike is still:

  1. Larger than its next 5 competitors COMBINED
  2. Has a higher profit margin than its next 5 competitors combined
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Post ID: @1zxh+1r4iIDWl

Nike will not go away. They have had bigger issues and came back. I will go away. I am ready to go.

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Post ID: @uwq+1r4iIDWl

My network is GONE. Feeling kind of d-mb that I’m one of the last ones here.

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Post ID: @kpg+1r4iIDWl

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