Thread regarding Nike Inc. layoffs

Are y'all surprised or something????

As an employee who was affected by the 2016 layoffs, then rehired, (and one likely to be hit when the ax drops on Oct. 1st) these lay offs are not entirely shocking...... In the over 10 years I've been employed here, now seems like the most over leveraged and bloated Nike has ever been. To JD's (hate using Nike's initial nomeclature, but for the sake of the reader I will for now) point (though I don't entirely agree with his approach to these layoffs), these layoffs are probably almost all derived from inefficiencies in the command chain and company in general.

Is that the fault of the low end of the totem pole like you and me? No. But that's the reality of the corporate world. Nike is a quadruple stuffed oreo, filled with fat and inefficiency in the middle, and until that gets sorted, it cannot be an effective company to the consumers nor the stake holders which are the only people that matter (sorry....but work is work for a reason... it's not a place to come get paid to play around; you're here to serve the beast).

I, personally, think JD was brought into clean house, which isn't a great job, but one that is necessary in our current world.

He won't last much longer than this lay off, but if you have any delusions that Nike has been an effective company in the last 5+ years, you need to recheck the metrics of the company and the effectiveness of your general work structure.....

It s—s, and like I said, there's a high probabilty I'll be hit too, but this is pretty standard practice for new CEOs; re-evaluate the workforce and clean house; welcome to Capitalism......To those who are freaking out about this, you're not paying attention to the writing on the wall or are too stuck on the "culture" of Nike to see it. Any time it takes 50+ people, most of which have no reason, or competency, being in the room, to make a decision, something needs to change.

Will the worst cuplrits get hit? Nope. S—s for the laymen like us, but that's the way of things in this country. "Loyal" employees do not make a company successful....more often than not they drag a company down. It is a reminder to all people in this world, that you should always have an exit strategy. Never assume a 'sure' thing and think for yourselves for once.

A lay off isn't the end of the world, as long as you are competent in your skills (which, honestly, many in Nike aren't.....) and not over leveraged on your position at Nike, you'll do fine and from all accounts, thrive, else where.

It's fun to gripe and moan, but it doesn't get you anything in the end, and really just shows you for the cream in the oreo that you are. Accept the corporate reality and be ready to move on, I know I have prepared to.

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Post ID: @OP+16zg9C1l

8 replies (most recent on top)

as a 2012 exit, on my own decision, I would like to share a few things. I joined Nike in 2001. after that there has been a reorg every 4 years, with or without crisis. Crisis offers Nike a cover to do their next reorg, if there is none, they do it anyway or wait another year.
the reason Nike does these reorgs are: remove the bad eggs, as bad eggs never want to leave by themselves, or new management, VP or team comes in and they want to do the cleaning as it was said by others. What I realized after I left Nike is that HR has no interest or idea on the talent that company has, this is completely left to the managers. Managers do not know how to assess, develop, retain talent, and they do not know how to get rid of the bad eggs along the way. When company feels on the 4th-5th year that it is time for another reorg, then all managers, and employees are caught off-guard, and everyone is for themselves. and of course, let me tell you this thing: most of the time you land a good job after Nike, however the rest of your career is entirely up to you and how hard you are willing to work. I truly think Nike does not give employees enough opportunities to learn, stretch and develop. That is why there is a huge amount of frustration in the organization, because what should be HR's primary job has been left to inexperienced managers. therefore not done properly, I would even say, not done at all...take care

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Post ID: @arjs+16zg9C1l

HR doesn't have the ability to think broadly, e.g., move out the bad eggs and fill the space with the good eggs. They just layoff those positions that are earmarked without thinking about if the person is a good employee and do the due diligence to keep the good one in place of a bad one.

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Post ID: @3muo+16zg9C1l

I know people during the VP layoffs that were good people who did good work. They were not filler or unnecessary roles, what they did was important. So it doesn't seem like they are cutting people based on competence or value, for the ones I know, they were let go so others who may or may not have the experience for the role, but had the right complexion, was given the job.

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Post ID: @3iut+16zg9C1l

@1por

Like George Carlin famously said, "It's a big club and you ain't in it."

The people who are going to be making serious money off of Nike, at this point, got in way before you did. Think of it like an MLM, where the people who benefit the most got in at the beginning. It will never be as good but they will do their best to s—er people into joining Nike thinking they're going to have it just like them.

I was fortunate to join Nike right at the tail end of them raining down perks to at least make use believe were weren't s—ers. This last several years has shown they don't even give a c-ap about that.

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Post ID: @1yla+16zg9C1l

Call me Oreo stuffing, but I’m so confused on how the stock goes up at a time like this? The bottom line has and will suffer from the plague, and biz is not going to change all that much online, probably taper off as folks continue to watch spending and kids stay home. Are layoffs supposed to create long term gains even though replacements are eventually inevitable, or have we finally found the headcount sweet spot to grow revenue but not staff? I wish I understood the stock market; maybe I wouldn’t have to work so hard to get by.

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Post ID: @1por+16zg9C1l

JD used to hoop in college, believe it or not!

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Post ID: @okl+16zg9C1l

I agree with your analysis. I also have back up plans in works. I never want to be blindsided when the gauntlet drops. This layoff is a house cleaning, the big cheeses don't really care about the low level engines, the real smart and talented people, because the big cheeses already secured their spots and they want the work done. They know s—ers will keep working that drink the toxic koolaid. I am certain JD never wore swoosh before he received his oversized container of cash bonuses. He looks like a polo boy, he's former eBay, aint no athlete

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Post ID: @pya+16zg9C1l

@OP+: Nicely said and very true. Nike has been bloated for years and in order for the company to move forward, and stop inflating the cost of the product, need to reduce all those inefficiencies.

I no longer work there but have a lot of stock so I am still invested in the success of the company.

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Post ID: @xvr+16zg9C1l

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