Cisco might be one of the best places to work for overall but that certainly isn't true for my unit. Sometimes it feels like they're trying to win an award for the most toxic office environment. A whole bunch of us are feeling like they're trying to push us out, force us to quit. There is no way this is not intentional. I've been documenting some of the abuse and wanted to report several people to the HR but everybody called me crazy for even considering it. I can't understand why, isn't that what they're there for?
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If you make great meaningless presentations and great at bamboozling, then then you will be protected. Otherwise, things will not end well if your actually doing your job.
HR is there to protect the company and your manager. Find a job externally where you are appreciated.
OP, to address your question re:
I can't understand why, isn't that what they're there for?
What @txe+1aCOCtIN said was 100% true.
In a word - No. HR isn't there to protect you its there to protect Cisco from being sued and in that same vein - to keep Cisco compliant with the many laws and regulations in the areas in which it has employees. That's no small feat and is why we have many senior positions in HR with no direct reports.
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The fact that your manager may be unreasonable, demanding, or just plan an *ss, HR will not be able to help.
I'm a perfect example of this. I was a contractor for three years under the same manager. He converted me, had my mid-year eval saying I was doing great and then quit a month later. Everyone under this manager suddenly reported to the director while they looked for a replacement manager. The director sent an email to everyone stating that he was now too busy to have monthly one-on-one's with everyone and would schedule them "as needed" if there were any issues that needed to be addressed. Three months later, I have my year-end performance review and I was in the bottom 10% and he said I was not meeting his expectations. Back then, there was a place to put comments to respond to the review and I put this:
My mid-year performance review, which have have a copy of, said I was performing above expectations which was why my manager converted me from contractor to employee and you sent an email saying you'd schedule one-on-one's as needed. I've never had a one-on-one with you and you've never indicated to me in person or by email that my performance was any different than my previous manager's opinion so I don't understand why you failed to provide any feedback to allow me to adjust my performance to meet your expectations.
Suddenly, I get an email from him telling me to do something. I do it. Then I get a new email saying that I hadn't done what he told me to do. So I replied back with the original email saying yes, I had. I said I no longer understood what to do because of conflicting instructions.
Next thing I know, HE had gone to HR to cover his a$$ to have HR mediate for us on ways to effectively communicate. A month later the new manager is found, and I'm on the sh-t list and immediately put on a PIP for most of the next year. When the mass LR of '11 was announced a couple of months before the LR date, my weekly one-on-one's ended shortly after the announcement and I was LR'd a month later.
Document everything, but use it AFTER you've been fired. HR will protect Cisco, and Cisco leadership, not you.
Get OUT fast, asap.
FAANG is hiring data science Engineers like Krazy.. and paying twice the going salary.
Cisco is not part of FAANG because management looks to get rid of older workers and overseas outsource them. The made the same mistake with their managers 90% outsource from overseas, to cut corners and cut costs.
You get what you pay for.
Everyone I know who took this route was eventually let go.
Some have went to court, but not sure whatever transpired there.
They usually
- Drag out the court case.
- move the manager to another group
- so they can close the court case w/o manager
God no...unfortunately. Yes, a case will be opened and empathetic but they work for the leadership team. I've seen this before...they don't take actions against the toxic leaders unfortunately.
The problem is Cisco hires a LOT of overseas management and they have a [ from Engineer to Manager in two years, or off to Juniper ] mentality.
And the rest of the Engineering Department think this is how it SHOULD be. And Now even HR bought into this Cisco pyramid scheme.
It SHOULD NOT be from Engineer to Manager, except for rare cases.
Cisco and other companies need Engineers right now, and all they can find are Managers everywhere.
It was so bad that ten years ago someone published a list of Cisco Management with one or two reports. It was a very long list.
This scared a lot of Cisco Management and they quickly and quietly added more Engineers, who promptly wanted to become Management too.
Now the company has too much bloat.
10k layoffs on the horizon.
And. (Continued)...
If you stay there, your manager will be all smiles to you, while otherwise meeting and working with HR ( apart from you ) on how to resolve the "issue". Layers will be consulted so that they don't end up in court, and they will look at mitigation, best case, worse case scenarios.
IE if necessary, they throw money and make "the problem" go away.
Otherwise, you will probably end up working for another manager and eventually getting laid off (if the problem is you).
And if the problem is actually your manager. Well, you will probably eventually end up getting laid off AND eventually your manager will end up getting laid off.
The question is why would you let the manager take both of you down?
Leave, as soon as you can find another opportunity.
And your manager will eventually get laid off.
You will sleep much better.
If you go to HR, your manager gets Down Marked for a year.
He or she will not be eligible for bonus or raise until a year, or resolution.
After that he or she will either transfer you or try to fire you.
Best to just leave Cisco. Don't stay in a toxic relationship with a manager who dislikes you.
Unless you are a labeled individual don't bother... Maybe the "department of good questions" could give you an answer. What a joke.
LOL I'll give you a pass if you're some fresh faced college student who is just learning the ropes for the first time. "I want to speak my truth!1!"
If you've been around the block already and still posted this you might have bigger issues in life to deal with.
Interesting, I guess the word se-ual is auto edited on this site...
Lets see if it happens again.
In a word - No. HR isn't there to protect you its there to protect Cisco from being sued and in that same vein - to keep Cisco compliant with the many laws and regulations in the areas in which it has employees. That's no small feat and is why we have many senior positions in HR with no direct reports.
Multiple stories related of people going to HR to no avail. They play no part in saving people from bad managers. This makes some sense as they are not in that organization and are not able to make a judgement. Unless you're experiencing genuine se-ual harassment or discrimination HR will be of no help. The fact that your manager may be unreasonable, demanding, or just plan an *ss, HR will not be able to help.