What are indicators you’ll get laid off?

Seeing as how there continues to be bigger layoffs every month now, I was wondering if there was any indicators that you’ll get laid off?

Comment! It's anonymous!

26 replies (most recent on top)

Watching TikTok videos at work

If you’re in tech and aren’t in one of the approved locations, you’re on the chopping block - eventually. If you don’t know what those locations are, ask your manager.

@1fek+1jYeYoHr Someone is salty they couldn’t get something approved

You're on the list if you work on the risk team. Bloated do nothing department that will be purging soon.

If only i could get on that list. Keep praying but it never comes.

I honestly don't know why I've been skipped in all the layoffs. My schedule is rather empty, and has been for a couple years. I don't get invited to meetings and I'm never in the loop on what's happening. I do not get along with either my direct manager or my one-over. In fact, I'd describe my relationship with my manager as "adversarial". My manager schedules 1-on-1s with me, but NEVER shows up. My ratings with this manager are always "needs improvement", but I'm never put on a pip.

One thing in my favor is that I'm very good at my niche job, and think I can get away with my manager not liking me because nobody else can do my job. But at this point my heart isn't in it, and I'd welcome a severance. We've had some really good people let go recently, but I'm still here and don't know why.

@rua+1jYeYoHr

Agreed not EVERYONE has, but a ton are. In the specific comment below, someone who was a rockstar performer got cut rather than someone who rides the fmla train.

What about this is fair? Just because someone rides fmla should we have to support them forever? This is how it is literally everywhere across the company. Everyone is terrified of them so they get to be around forever.

I was asked to decide who I wanted to lay off and then develop a criteria to support it.

If your boss asks you to share a zipped-up sleeping bag all night (with nothing on), and you decline, you can expect a layoff.

Or if you walk into your boss's office and notice a new set of kneepads on the floor by their standing desk, you can assume you'll be laid off if you don't do as expected.

Aside from snarky replies - here are a few - is your schedule not as full as it used to be? Are you not getting invited to useless meetings as much as before? Has your email directly sent to you slowed down? Not part of new contracts / assignments? These are subtle tells. More importantly, how is your relationship with your direct manager and his/ her manager? Does your manager show up for 1-on-1s? Or blow you off and never reschedule....

In most instances, it is the manager above yours who is making the decision when the order comes to cut 10 percent or whatever - so they better know your name, and the value you bring that they can roll up to the vp above them.

generally, it starts with a list - with some criteria like last review rating, time in position - long is bad - companies want eager bunnies that are climbing, not someone who is happy and doing a solid job, and salary - above the mean for the role/ salary grade puts a huge target on your back. then the sr manager has to justify why you exist among all the other sr managers. having good relationships with higher ups in other groups helps alot, they can also sing your praise ("oh yeah, I worked with them on the widget project and they were great")

and your last review rating - any needs improvement people are always cut (should have gotten a PIP at the time), and any average or meets expectations but with one or more category that was below that will be on the radar and likely cut.

and honestly, some companies are fu----g savage and literally make edicts like "anyone that doesnt have direct reports that makes over $150k is gone" fast way to cut a million in expenses - salary and bennies - by chopping 5 of those heads. Ive seen this, regardless of performance of the individual or the critical role they play. (last company I was with did this with a pre-sales engineer who was phenomenal, literally closed so many deals, was the only guy who the customers respected. he was the guy who would fly out last minute, anywhere, and sit down with the engineers at a new company and reassure them we could deliver. he got cut. we were all stunned. pending deals cancelled, new deals all died. he landed in a better job making a lot more. )

You shouldn’t be able to take FMLA if you suck at your job and it’s causing you stress. No lie our manager encourages it because it doesn’t make him look bad because their sh---y stats aren’t showing under him.

Sorry not sorry.

@lnr+1jYeYoHr

Not everyone who has taken multiple FMLAs is scr*wing WF and the rest of the employees. Due to cancer and multiple surgeries, I have needed to go on FMLA 3 times in the last two years. I am not required to share with YOU the circumstances of my illness, therefore, you see it as taking advantage of the system. I have been a dedicated employee for 18 years.

To the person below who indicated 3 reasons they were told they were laid off. How many years have you worked for the company?

You've given 20+ years of dedicated and loyal service to an organization, such as Wells Fargo, who couldn't give two S#!ts about you. Pretty good sign when they make up BS reasons to rate you below Meets and steal your bonus and merit increase.

If you're white, you're faq-ed. Ride's over

If you're a minority.

All tech will be in India in the near future. This must be accepted. You own your future.

If you're white and male

You are going to see more and more of this until they fu-k everyone over to roll in UBI.

My layoff papers listed these three incentives for why I was selected.

Years of service
Job performance
Need for position in department

My performance review was meets.

It is a shame that dedication and hard work leads to layoffs to save a buck, but new executives receive high bonus and salary increases. Such short -sided vision. Pure greed by the C-suite, bleeding this company dry to bebefit themselves only.