Thread regarding Nike Inc. layoffs

I agree with the posters feel the layoff is the right thing to do, however, bad timing due to the pandemic.

MP allowed too much free reign related to hiring and promoting middle management and it resulted in the company's ability to move forward related to streamlining processes and procedures due to that enormous matrix. Decisions simply couldn't be agreed on thus stalling out and nothing good could move forward.

The comments I don't agree with, necessarily, are those that suggest it should be focused on the older workers. The company became incredibly bloated with middle management (bad in most cases) over the last 8+ years when certain executives hired their buddies who didn't have the knowledge or ability to do their jobs. It doesn't equate to all old timers, I'd say it's more of the newbies. My point is, don't stereotype someone just because they've been around for awhile...a lot of those people are very open minded and helped make Nike what it is today.

Shame on MP for losing control of middle management hiring and now all these people, good and bad, who are losing their jobs during a pandemic.

Thanks to the OP. Agree completely. The company is shedding old baggage, both people who feel entitled by tenure and business models outdated as the company is one strong enough to go around the old middleman (legacy retailers). It is hard to lose your job in a pandemic, but it was going to happen sooner or later as Nike is too competitive and strong of a company not to eventually do the right thing.

LOL there was never meritocracy at Nike. They tell you day one in Running Start it’s all about who you know.

I left there years ago because I was tired of the dead end career because I didn’t kiss enough a– and play the matrix. The toxic male culture and lack of professionalism across the board just fueled the fire.

Anyone still hanging around should go read that NYTimes article again from a few years ago to remind yourself who you’re still working for.

Not hate just reality. I’m glad there is a lay-off at Nike because there are tons of useless people there that do nothing and get away with it. It’s people like you that ruin the potential of a great culture.

Hate? No, that is ugly. There is a fair and an understandable amount of frustration and anxiety, sure. Some have strong opinion and some anger issues (lol), and too is OK. People just need an outlet without judgement.

No, not at all, i saw some really questionable morals and ethics during my tenure. Ive heard nothing but the same from folks who stayed behind after I left. All covered up by some non-sense "Do the Right Thing" culture to perfume the garbage. You dont realize how badly you got s—ed into the lie until you leave. My life and career improved exponentially after I left and woke up.

Gone but Not Forgotten

you can thank MP for the loss of the culture. He completely mismanaged HC by trusting people who weren't trustworthy.

Losing control of the "Happy" narrative, is the clearest sign of the beginning of real worry.

As we know from this forum, apparently you can stay at a top job, as long as you know something you can blackmail the Board with, the list of these transgressions could be quite long.

Or some say, you can retain your job if you check certain boxes of an identity, not surprising I suppose in the State Of Antifraud.

But many posters lament and appeal to "PHK", why does everyone assume he is blind to any of this. No one benefits from the stock surge more than the Knight Family Trusts.

Wall Street is rarely dumb, since Mark was replaced by John, the market cap of the stock has moved past a number of important vectors, which Wall Street believes is being pursued on orders from PHK. There is a famous interview by PHK where he says that when the Kap commercial was previewed, Mark gulped, but that PHK said, lets go with it, PHK, SEC declarations not withstanding, is in charge.

And the pain of these layoffs, and the resultant new leadership, is being seen as a significant value booster by investors. Those are the facts right now, and you have every right to vent here all you want. But money is money.

Yeah, it's crazy! Imagine folks being upset because they're losing their jobs in the middle of one of the worst economies in history! The gall of them.

Let's be honest. The new leadership are converting a once great culture into just another bland, albeit frighteningly ultra-progressive hive of identity-politics, corporate hellhole.

Gone are the days of meritocracy. Gone are the days of being eager to tell people where you work. It's a means to an end now. The influx of tech company rejects has stripped away the once great culture of the brand in less than two years.
Sad to see. I imagine Phil wouldn't recognize what he built.