The Watson redeployment: https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/29/ibm_allegedly_hid_watson_health/
Aside from Gini axing it as not immediately profitable (it's the kind of long term project IBM would have sunk it's teeth into) it's very imformative.
Read that link and then come back here.
Loosely
- 3 months ended the "unlimited time to look for a job" - followed by
- subsequent RA to those orphaned (or unwilling to relocate or ...) with 3 months severance
Difference is current is non product but headcount redeployment to "critical product" limited open requisitions.
Similarities are shedding employees past open requisitions.
My forecast is based on IBM history:
- 3 months (of "unlimited time") so Dec/Jan/Feb (max)
- RAs announced end of Feb - with severance but ?? no additional search time ??
- So 1-3 months severance (perhaps in consideration of "you failed job search already")
- Written off end of Q1
Resulting "Paid" is likely through end of March and possibly also April if not May.
That is my crystal ball - and hope - as last downturn it took me ~ 3 months to find a suitable preferred job (rather than cr-p).
Make no mistake - this is out of IBM's playbook - and 1/3-1/2 of Systems headcount will be shed to the outside market.