Thread regarding Optum layoffs

Transactional not Personal

Surprised that quite a few expected the company to genuinely care about them.

Our jobs are transactional. They pay, you do. If Cost cheaper elsewhere, they get someone else to do the work. As simple as that.

Understandable that there is an emotional element from the relationships you built with your work colleagues.

Key decision makers have no such emotional relationships with you.

Your existence is merely as cost centres and performance tracked against profit targets.

Nothing personal when they let you go.

They have only one reason to try to keep you happy, which is to squeeze more out of you.

Nothing personal, purely transactional.

If you drop dead tomorrow, first thing they will think of is who will do your job. And you will be quickly replaced and forgotten more quickly than you would think.

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Post ID: @OP+1m2nAjDO

7 replies (most recent on top)

@4jtf+1m2nAjDO In response...

I led a small team in a high valued tech dept for 7 years, was told we were doing an outstanding job, that we were well respected, all our ratings were 4 & 5s over the years, considered SMEs in fact, and that we could look forward to expanding the team with new capabilities and responsibilities in the near future. Then one day - just like that - and while I was on PTO, my boss called me to say that my team was no longer needed.

So what does 'valued' really mean? There must be another definition that I wasn't aware of.

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Post ID: @4fre+1m2nAjDO

Post ID: @4jtf+1m2nAjDO

100x Thanks to you Sandeep for the clarification.

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Post ID: @4cyz+1m2nAjDO

I think care is the wrong word. Most decision makers do care about the people. But choices must be made. The market, sales, marketing, and many others play a big role in why reduction decisions must be made. It is not easy or fun to decide to layoff coworkers nor picking which ones.

Employees have some control. Pick departments and areas of high value. Make sure what you are doing is of value. If you are personally contributing to the bottom line you are at much lowered risk.

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Post ID: @4jtf+1m2nAjDO

Very well said!

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Post ID: @2fyv+1m2nAjDO

You are absolutely correct. That's why in Europe they have Unions (for even salary employees - for everyone) to fight when companies try to cut people. In USA, there aren't many strict labor laws. We work 40 hours + even weekends without extra pay, we work late evenings, but in Europe you can only work 35 to 40 hours. Any time over 40 hours, you have to get official agreement signed and you get over time. And they kick you out of the building after a certain time (like 9 PM), so know can work late. In these days, we will see more Unions forming in USA.

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Post ID: @1xps+1m2nAjDO

I thought this Layoff venting forum. Guess its a spiritual-detoxing-deep fake forum. Well tried HR troll.

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Post ID: @nye+1m2nAjDO

Robots

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Post ID: @vlh+1m2nAjDO

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