Thread regarding Cisco Systems Inc. layoffs

Sorry to the uninformed but I know some that took the 80% work week because they were in a position to do so. The "I've been here 26 years and can't be LRd" tells me one of two things. Your are either full of it, or you are one of those that should have been LRd years ago. What really s—s is that those who waited around got just as good of a deal as the retirement package except for the benefits being paid and the ability to keep them if paid from your side. I do think the number of H1Bs and the forcing of preferred hiring to make government numbers or satisfy some groups is total garbage.

Employees worry more about their own employer than their own finances. They will only visit their accountants once a year at tax time . By then it is already too late! Stop worrying about stupid companies who will not listen to irrelevant you and start planning your own success.

or find another job, or retire

Getting LRd is not bad actually. It may be a good thing for your self worth. Collab, until end of 2019, LRd anyone who is remotely capable of adding > 0$ value to the company. They pulled all the guns out to retain only people who are guaranteed to contribute = 0$ to the company and not a tiny bit more than that. No need to go far to see the evidence. During the pandemic, Zoom grew to become $100B+ company. Cisco got none of it. There you go, the data for LR reasoning.

Take comfort if you were LRd from Collab before the pandemic. There was some spark in you that made the powers insecure.

The person who mentioned "LRs have been going on for several years" is way off. Cisco started that process way back in the early 2000s, and never stopped once they figured out how easy it was.

I cannot be LR'ed as I have been here for the past 26 years and still going strong. Will hit retirement in about 6-10 years.

If you want to avoid future LR's, keep your head down and kiss up to your boss whenever possible. Do not voice any criticism whatsoever. Double fist some company Kool-Aid. Chug, chug chug

Everyone is an LR candidate. It is like any tech giant out there.

Except CSCO is notoriously ruthless about it, more ruthless than your average company. There have been having quarterly, bi-annual, and annual LR's for several years. They actively work to find candidates for LR. They hold workshops such as "Inclusion in the Workplace" and so-called "anonymous employee surveys" to bait employees into voicing concerns. Those who complain are quietly added to the list as future LR candidates. They are not interested in fixing any of the long standing company culture problems.

Below post is spot on. I got LRd 3 years in.

Everyone is an LR candidate. It is like any tech giant out there. Years 0-5, your name is in the hat once. Years 6-10 your name is in the hat twice. 11-13 you are there 3x. 14-16 your name goes in 5x. 17-20, your name is in 10x. 21+ your name is in 20x.

All it is is roulette. Eventually your name is going to come up. Add in other factors like White, Male, 50+ and the number of times your name goes in is 2x, 5x, 50x.

I cannot be LR'ed as I have been here for the past 26 years and still going strong. Will hit retirement in about 6-10 years.

Pretty much. Once they offered the package back in October I took the money and hopped the train out of there.

Since 2013 I worried about LRs every year save few one year where my mgr flat out told me don’t worry about it you’re safe. I remember when the LR cycle first started the mantra was “do more with less”...by 2018 it was “keep your head down, just be happy you have a job”.

I feel sorry for those notified as “at risk” who decided to stay to see if they could keep their job thinking they earned some company loyalty, only to get cut and missed the earlier offered package as well as those still caught in the cycle working hard to keep their job when their performance really only matters to your immediate mgr. To the ones above them you’re just an interchangeable resource with a price tag (salary) attached.

Those weekends and late nights spent in front of the laptop while your spouse and/or kids are sleeping helped earn your bonuses and salary increases earned you the same justification letting you go to save the company money.

I LOL’d when the Jack asses told people they could opt for an 80% work week with reduced pay. Like who the hell would volunteer for that? If you could officially work 4 out of 5 days a week (in the middle of a quarter with projects underway) your manager knows you are not needed anyway. And what the hell is 80% of an engineers work week anyway? Instead of working 60hrs a week you work 48 but only get paid for 32???? Lol.

Cisco is eerily similar to GE.

GE had years of declining revenue but the stock never dropped. Earnings were mostly positive until the CFO couldn't hide the financial mess anymore.

It is very draining in these conditions . Keep your skills up champions and never forget most people out there in the workforce are clueless! If you know something, you are already ahead. Don't be scared to build up your own side hustle instead of waiting for acknowledgement from a menatally challenged manager

Will end for employees just like those in denial at Nortel, Blackberry, etc