Thread regarding Nike Inc. layoffs

Moral Conundrum

I've been with Nike for about 10 years and the first few years were amazing and I felt a part of something really great, special, and felt appreciated. The swag!!! (real swag, not a coffee cup) Now? I don't know. The culture I knew is gone.

I'm looking back at my college years in my 20s (before Nike) and at that time I felt I knew it all and my morals/principles were my guiding light. Would I stay with a company that is doing this during a pandemic, massive wild fires and looming layoffs for months on end? Hell no! I consider myself old now and have responsibilities that I can't just walk away from and feel trapped. I'm seeing teams being randomly gutted. I feel soulless as I watch this happen. I don't know if I'm safe, but assuming so, as I'm still here. I feel like a rat caught in a cage. I feel like a traitor.

Where did my courage go? Where did my free spirit go? Where did my beliefs go?

Feeling lost ... I wish all of you the best

I'm tired and just ..... well like a lot of us out there...not sure what to do or feel

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Post ID: @OP+17JWdwZH

9 replies (most recent on top)

I have a ton of empathy for your situation. I was a 10+ year employee and I experienced the good and the post-Jeanne years. The culture is broken. But it was always the “golden handcuffs” that kept me there. I was recently let go and now that the handcuffs are off, I’m so happy to be out of that culture and the corporate identity crisis they’re going through. Either decide you’re OK with compromising you’re personal happiness for a paycheck (safe option) or see what your Nike resume can do for you externally (which I think will surprise you). Either way, demand more of you leaders and managers! They have a lot of work to do after this re-org.

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Post ID: @3dcu+17JWdwZH

Left last year and it was the best thing I ever did. So weird how the company operates in clicks and everything is done via text messages. Felt like middle school bs to me after a while. So happy now! Get out while you can.

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Post ID: @1zmm+17JWdwZH

@Gutted: try reaching out to members of the West/LA office to find that answer to your question (unless your wife is already in the West).

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Post ID: @1qzx+17JWdwZH

My wife was laid off this past week after 6 years of service. one week after returning from maternity leave. They stated that the decision was made to fire her in June, a month after our child was born. The culture has gone from amazing to awful in a short period of time. Does anyone else know of any new mothers that were laid off recently that we could get in touch with?

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Post ID: @1ggl+17JWdwZH

I’ve only been with the company 6 years but this is the most irrational and insane roller coaster of a company imaginable. I honestly wasn’t even phased by this round of layoffs. It’s a revolving door and the most transient experience I’ve witnessed so far. I’m sure in 3 years we will have another m—acre with a shiny new acronym to follow up the CDA.

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Post ID: @oir+17JWdwZH

These layoffs and reorgs are very emotionally traumatic events, whether causing new trauma or triggering dormant negative patterns, that employees need to make sure to address with a mental health professional. Sure, there are "strong" people who can navigate this without the mental and emotional toll, but there are so many more who can't help but to shut off their empathy or hold on to the past. I wish I could tell you that it will get better if you stick it out but, in my own experience, I was never able to approach my job the same after a couple times going through this.

Seriously - find some help. You'd be surprised at how many therapists in the Portland area are extremely familiar with what working at Nike can do to people's mental health.

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Post ID: @onk+17JWdwZH

JonDon, Mentioned the job cuts are largely over this morning if you attended the meeting.

However, He left no doubt the Leaders of Nike Tech and Digital would be updating us on their progress in a couple of months. No doubt code for a Reorg and Layoffs in Global Tec and Digital. As is the H1B guys here in Oregon are being cut out once their contracts are up or told to move back, and Nike is hiring over 50 in India and Poland so that will be the new deal in Tech for Engineering functions. No doubt several S bands will be let go as a result. Makes sense with the cloud a Tech worker can work from anywhere. Stay tuned!

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Post ID: @pcj+17JWdwZH

@afk described precisely how I am feeling working for the same function - global tech.

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Post ID: @hfq+17JWdwZH

OP - I can relate to what you are going through and have been at Nike for around the same amount of time, give or take a few.

I love what I do, but am jaded by the dysfunction, dirty politics and inefficient leadership. I work in Nike Tech where a majority of our Senior Directors have no clue about what we deliver or how we deliver.I spend most of my time blocking at tackling the inefficiencies, politics and dysfunction than I do adding shareholder value.

Maybe I am just putting on a brave face, but I welcome the change, if I am indeed let go. TBH, I would rather be laid off than continue to put myself under the stress of working here.

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Post ID: @afk+17JWdwZH

Many of us feel the same way. We have to be practical and not make any abrupt decision. I plan to update Linked in and quietly start exploring jobs outside of Nike. If something great comes up, I will go.

It does take courage to put yourself out there, but at least you will have a sense of how viable your experience is outside of the swoosh.

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Post ID: @zhp+17JWdwZH

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