The leadership wants to reduce the headcount organically. That's why they have created an environment that any sane person would want to leave as fast as they can. And that's why you can see people leaving in droves constantly and most of them are not being replaced. Why have layoffs and pay severance when you can just get people to do you a favor and leave on their own?
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I think its been the strategy since 2016? Must've failed during 2017 and 2020 because they still happened.
After being at Nike almost 30 years in some capacity (twice as FTE) I have fantasies about WHQ becoming a Hosp/wholistic wellness center using alternative treatments for cancer and other diseases/conditions. Actually ‘cure cancer’ rather than making employees believe they are via sportswear fashion. Right now, it’s OZ. Let’s get real.
I think you’re giving leadership too much credit OP. I honestly don’t think Nike leadership fully understands the degree to which Nike’s culture and work environment have changed for the worse in recent years. And to the degree it has changed I don’t think most of the negative fallout was planned or anticipated. It’s just a result of leadership that’s out of touch.
The “evil genius” strategy makes for a compelling narrative but in this case the “genius” part is absent.
The problem with this strategy is that we’ll inevitably lose our best talent (we’ve already bled most of it at this point). Good candidates have options. We’ll be left with 24 year olds that have no experience, nor institutional knowledge and the DEI hires.
This is true, unfortunately the people who leave are not random so there is risk in this strategy.