IBM has faced significant criticism for its treatment of older employees, with accusations of age discrimination becoming more prevalent in recent years. The company has consistently carried out layoffs, often affecting long-term employees, which has led many to feel that their years of experience and dedication are undervalued. The ongoing trend of reducing staff, especially among older workers, has created an environment of insecurity and dissatisfaction, leaving many employees feeling mistreated and overlooked.
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@171 I can totally imagine this happening. I’m sorry you were treated this way, it just isn’t fair at all. I hope you are enjoying your retirement.
Layoffs today 3/18/2025 in Operations even after reporting back to the office. 29 years with IBM. Effective date 4/17/2025
FIBM
40+ years working directly with IBM clients, with a clean yearly appraisal. Turned 65, and within a month was put in a PIP and given 60 days to "improve". Met all the requirements within the 60 day period, but at the final PIP review, I was told I failed the PIP. The reason given was total BS, and I was pushed out immediately and forced to sign a separation agreement giving me a pathetic 1 month salary. Wow, it doesn't pay to be a loyal dedicated employee anymore.
I was let go in 2015. I was 55. A male peer who was suspected of being drunk while working was spared. He used to talk sports with the boss and I wasn’t into sports and of course I am a female and some people at IBM still disrespect females. Whatever! I had enough years to “retire” and I got my 6 months severance.
What will it take for people to finally grab their pitchforks and take to the streets? It's one thing for there to be an economic downturn and for technology to advance, and another for the captain and first officer of a ship to throw the ship's crew overboard and be rewarded with over $120 million a year for doing so. You know they’re just going to hop on a super yacht and disappear with their ill-gotten lucre when the time comes. There will be no accountability. These people are, for all intents and purposes, hitmen for the oligarchy and are being knighted for it. Where is the outrage?
@yq
You have definitely paid your dues and work to full career by age 68. Do you see no alternative to spending your time working. What about hobbies, even if new, traveling etc? We're all different but at 59 (soon) I can barely wait a couple more years to accumulate enough money to be able to retire.
I'm out, done, toast, going to be 68, current on tech yet I know end of March I'm out. I have lots of tread left, never want to retire, retire and go insane.
you are absolutely right - It's a game for Alvind and his evil Pipmunks, but death and destruction of your family. IBM management operates like any other crooked capitalist US employer - they use you, abuse you and then put you out. It should happen to their families too, and it will. They only care for moving jobs to India right now since Alvind made his promise to Modi to create more jobs there. AI might be the death of that activity in due course - even India is getting expensive to operate in. IBM is progressing in it's death cycle. Management can run but they cannot hide fast enough.
After 35+ years they found a way to get rid of a great employee. FIBM 😠 hope they fold.
20 by forced relocation ("got mortgage and kids, wife has a job here, sorry boss!"), 20 by RTO, 20 by PIPs, 20 by...
IBM is playing a game...
It's to do with the number being laid off. Less than 20 means they don't have to follow the usual process followed in the last few years. Less than 20 means no consultation period, no committee meetings etc etc.
I’m hearing of individuals being targeted with the usual UK package to leave. Same deal + timeframe as an RA without the big whole department scripted call, follow-up email and deadline for expressions of interest. So perhaps a new approach to an old strategy? And from what I’ve seen, these folk definitely fit an age and length of service demographic.
Asked manager again about Canada consulting layoffs that were supposed to be coming as of some weeks ago. Was told they are in progress, and some already done.
Usually when real layoffs are in progress this board lights up. What's going on? Could everybody have been given a fat severance in exchange for being completely quiet about it? Definitely not seeing the usual pattern.
@ff
Hate to point this out but AK needs to change and say: ”In order to protect my $86 million a year compensation I would do anything, including getting rid of the super expensive IBM US dinosaurs “
seems like a global thing https://www.dw.com/en/tesla-starts-hiring-in-india-after-modi-and-musk-meet/a-71645424
AK said:”In order to protect my $86 million a year compensation I would do anything, including getting rid of expensive IBM dinosaurs “
'His perk package for 2024 was north of 86 million'
is his painting equivalent to Picasso's
did he invent the cure for cancer
sigh, something is very wrong here
his contribution to society does not match his pay
I see more IBM Consulting as well as CIO Cuts
There will probably be voluntary due to people not wanting to go back 3 days a week
A few people moved further away during COVID and got Houses more for less when rates were in the High 2’s to low 3’s
In any case Alvind and the Pipmunks got rewarded heavily with stock
His perk package for 2024 was north of 86 million
Krabinaugh got about 37 million
@ad I disagree with you when you say “no end in sight” There certainly is an end in sight as there are only 30-35k USA folks left with that number representing all plants, labs, TSS service, back office and sales. IBM has hit the bottom of the barrel when it comes to employee reduction in first world envio’s NOTE there is a certain amount of IBM employees that must remain in country
TSS must remain in country as that’s where the USA customers are Same equation for sales.
IBM plants and labs must remain in country because the infrastructure already exists there, PLUS IBM likes the patent/trademark protection afforded by the USA legal system
Executive management loves the life they lead in a first world country so QED
IBM behind the scenes support (CIO, accounting, support, etc etc) will NOT remain in country because labor in India has become an affordable commodity. Also because the internet has made labor easily moved and finally AI has automated a lot of back office functions.
If we look at each division you can already see the hollowing out of the NA head count
Consulting = most perform has been offshored Why Labor is a commodity
Infrastructure = everything except enterprise mainframe for the most part has gone to Mexico, with the rest of infrastructure (cloud, and lab services) being partnered out
SW = IBM has adopted a purchasing of innovation vs developing it. That means IBM laid off redundant employees, because they will just buy them now. There is one VERY unique exception to the “no end in sight” rule, and that is support for acquired SW. IBM will offshore the support as it matures and moves to legacy. The SW offshoring component will never end, as IBM will always be buying innovation, so IBM will always be laying off support staff. As IBM’s innovation grows or shrinks, so IBM’s layoffs will grow or shrink, but only after 1-2 years as support becomes legacy.
There is no doubt this will happen. It has happened every year for the last 20 years I was at IBM. The last few years have been the worst in terms of numbers of experienced good employees with seniority and a high salary, and level of technical knowledge. The reduction in older US based workers isn’t being hid as an objective any more. It is accelerating more and more. No end in sight
If anyone has any insight into when and what teams will be affected this time please share.