They RA’d people who are just about to retire. I know of two cases, and I wonder how many more there were. Shame! It’s so humiliating! This is the best indicator of how much IBM values loyalty. You need to remember this every time you think of being loyal to this company. You might just be setting yourself up for disappointment.
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@1ehg - you're naive. FLM has nothing to do with it. Look up JONATHAN LANGLEY vs IBM. Download the 20 page response summary, set aside 30 minutes, and read the response. You'll understand the MACHINE a bit better
TLM -> SLM
SLM -> TLM
SLM -> FLM
FLM -> SLM
SLM -> TLM
Wow.
FWIW, for the most recent RA in my area, which is part of GBS, the SLM was presented with a list from the TLM. That list contained a few names which were pre-identified by HR and Leadership as ideal candidates for that particular RA.
There were objections to the names on the list by the SLM to the TLM. The SLM went to the FLM and discussed. The FLM had knowledge of someone on their team who was about to resign anyway. The SLM proposed a swap to the TLM, and it was accepted.
Person who was about to leave anyway got the 30/60 package and saved the job of someone who wanted to stay. TLM got to make their numbers and show GBS that they did what was asked of them, and a job was saved.
Not saying it's like this everywhere, but that's how it was done in my group.
Lets understand that many people close to retirement, will sometimes ask to be RA'ed so that they can save someone else who really needs the job. I have seen this happen many times and have several friends who have done this. Upper mgt knows this takes place and look the other way as long as the numbers are hit. The RA last year I know several people who did this. I have also seen people be asked to delay their retirement because an RA was coming and they could be counted in the RA. Not all 1st line managers are bad and many do have a heart. You just have to look around for a while. I am not defending IBM, just saying that sometimes mgrs do have a heart.
I am working on getting everything ready to leave this year, sometime between Apr-Dec. What can I do to protect someone else in for the upcoming upcoming layoff ? We know its coming but have no idea when. Who could I sit down with that has some influence over this ? 2nd line ? 3rd line ? or do we need to go higher then that.
Can confirm
I doubt you can put 'best' and 'loyal' in the same sentence at IBM. The best are long gone.
That dude has no clue on how RAs work. FLMs have ZERO control and are at risk themselves. So continue thinking your mgr has your back. You’ll see.
IBM also part of the “let’s get rid of the over 55 bucket” with more than 25 years and total loyalty to IBM. It hurts a lot.
Re; your first line manager’s role, they are 100% in on it. Someone has to role the names to 2nd line manager.
@1ehg It is good that your manager has your back. But first line managers have little or no power over who gets RAd. And your next reorg might put you under a different manager. Or the company might change strategies again and realize your whole team is not needed. So don't get arrogant to the people you will meet one day at the unemployment office.
I literally told my boss just last week, I'm planning to retire in the next few months. So one, let's plan a knowledge handoff to the rest of the team. And two, if you have to RA somebody, choose me and save somebody who needs the job.
That common theme has been popular at IBM for years. Another slant to it was: Lay off the person most likely to find a new job quickly. I understand his way of thinking, perhaps its kinder than laying off a non-performer, but it has left IBM with a "weaker" workforce (those that are still there). IBM's biggest problem is much the same as most other large orgs - too slow. It takes them too long to embrace new technologies, remember Windows vs OS2? Ethernet vs token ring? I left IBM in 2012 to get into the booming cyber security world - even as late as 2012 they had very little in cyber security (and they still don't). If I wanted to get into it I had no choice but to leave. This has happened in many areas - look how long it has taken them to embrace the cloud? It's hard to point fingers at individuals, I think it has more to do with people in general and their resistance to change. Think about how hard it is to change 200,000 individuals, each with their own comfortable spot in a dying technology. That's a job that only King Kong would consider
My manager has my back. Mybe you just have terrible managers.
You're just a number to IBM. You're an s—er if you believe IBM has your back from day 1.
This reminds me of Honeywell back in the 90's. Retirement at 20 yrs, you get laid off at 19.5 yrs.
Managers spouses always seem to keep their jobs no matter what
I know of 3 ladies they RA who were close to retirement. All of them have been in IBM for over 25 years. They were all in the same team in GTS. Two of the ladies asked their manager if they could keep or buy their laptops and the manager aid no. IBM is a cheap company. I hope they will be out of business soon. I hate them.
I eventually just retired. But for the last two working years, I asked a number of times for any sort of package. Although an RA "package" is not that great. Maybe it's just enough for some of the victims.
Probably the biggest lesson from the theory that you should layoff the one you are going to lose anyway is: if you are young and have an opportunity to move on, you should take it while you can. At some point it starts to become progressively more difficult to move. So get out of a bad situation, where there are clearly callous decisions imposed, before it's too late.
Unpopular opinion: No, this is smart.
Use your layoff chip for someone you're about to lose anyways. Else you'd be losing 2 people, the one you cut and the one about to retire.