As far as I can tell there’s been no movement in my department today. Everyone is still highly anxious just waiting for the axe to drop at any given moment.
22 replies (most recent on top)
“I was just told that a direct report on my team is going to be let go in the second phase of layoffs and to begin knowledge transfer”. Did they give an idea of when the next phase would be or how long you have to knowledge transfer? What level is your direct report?
RE: On what basis could they revoke it? I get 26 weeks and then they can change their mind for whatever reason? If I don’t sign this paperwork I get nothing?
If you don’t sign the paperwork you won’t get a dime. The paperwork won’t come until late afternoon on 1/25 or 1/26. Your last day of employment. Most had their last working day 1/11 but you’re still employed until 1/25. You’ll get a document sent via email to electronically sign. Until or unless you sign it you won’t get a dime. Violate anything in that agreement and they find out money stops. So if you plan on working for competition or a client avoid making an announcement on LinkedIn or any other social media platform. Keep your head low until your money is done. Congrats on 26 weeks, however that’s a long time to walk the straight and narrow.
Hope that helps
where do we find the re-org charts? can someone share?
The rules in Europe are much different from the US and vary from country to country. In many situation a company cannot terminate employees from one day to the other and you might need to justify the layoff with busuness issue (revenue drop etc) and you might have then limit in hiring back. The job market is much less flexible in both direction ( you cannot fire but it’s taking (long) time to find a job)
I was just told that a direct report on my team is going to be let go in the second phase of layoffs and to begin knowledge transfer
Re-Lastly and most importantly do not trust a soul with what your severance offer is once you sign it. Nielsen has the authority to revoke it.
On what basis could they revoke it? I get 26 weeks and then they can change their mind for whatever reason? If I don’t sign this paperwork I get nothing?
In response to explaining negotiations; it’s that simple ask for what you want. When they ask if you have any other questions that’s when you come with your demands/requests. Be prepared to barter (give something). For example, ask if you can trade them paying your healthcare in exchange for them not doing a 401k match. Or something like that.
Also, just throwing it out there, for those of you that have been impacted more than likely your last day of employment is 1/25. You just don’t have access anymore. You may consider taking STD or FMLA. Your technically still an employee until then. they must hold a job for you. Granted, once you come back you may be laid off but at least it gives you an extra 6- 12 weeks of pay on top of the severance that’ll start once you return. He-l, Nielsen may be in a better position and have you just come back to work. If you’re not impacted I’d also suggest you take STD if you can afford to. Use this time to look for another job. Those that remain are about to be worked like $2 ho----s or a Saturday night!
Make sure you go into SAP and save and email your check stubs asap if you haven’t been impacted. You will never be able to access these again. Payroll is slow in responding once you’re no longer an employee. If you’re let go, you’ll have 30 minutes tops before you’re locked out. If you used your Nielsen email for anything personal (I did for spotify) lol change it now.
Lastly and most importantly do not trust a soul with what your severance offer is once you sign it. Nielsen has the authority to revoke it. If you are interested in going to NielseniQ (they’re on a freeze btw) ask HR for a waiver. Without it you’ll have to wait three years.
Again, y’all be safe out there!
RE: What do you mean by one level up managers?
Not poster, think they mean one level up from rank-and-file employees.
if you are not in the US you have yet to be hit.
supposedly the US is done but not confirmed by leadership. my bosses are saying we’re fine, we’re fine now we survived but i’ve been lied to twice already this week so i dunno.
sorry. nothing concrete yet. it sucks.
So if the direct team I’m working on hasn’t been affected yet, can we assume we’re going to be affected in an upcoming layoff?
right now all i know is Europe starts the week of the 23rd
I do not know how layoffs work in the EU, if employees are legally entitled to being warned weeks in advance or what this means for severance, or if they can cut immediately. I only know the decisions are made by the week of the 23rd regarding individuals.
Other countries fall in line after.
Unclear how this affects current US employees who have thus far survived by manage or otherwise work closely with non US teams.
Please explain the negotiating your severance more! I didn’t even know that was an option.
Do you guys know when level they are planning on cutting the most?
thanks for sharing that negotiating tip, I am surprised they did you a solid. i’ve been laid off before and that wasn’t an option.
Your advice is spot on. Good luck out there.
yes some are out there, i’ve seen a bit. well i’m sure it varies per dept so i haven’t seen them all, so what i know might not apply.
basically it’s creating a faster assembly line for maximum output, for engineering teams at least. very defined roles you will be slotted into. if you’re current role doesn’t fit into this assembly line, then i’m guessing that’s one reason for being cut.
but then again, it’s extra confusing why some top performers (design / ux ; senior developers ; etc) were then cut because they’re needed in these positions. so the reasoning behind who was fired is still a complete mystery. are they closing tampa & california offices because wtf those were hit so hard.
work faster & harder with less people, is the future.
You’re totally in the dark because you’re a lower level manager. Usually in these situations the line between lower level managers (team leads) and their associates is blurred. In other words, the company nor HR trust you to hold water about the situation.
My role was cut but I knew this not because I had the inside scoop but because after almost 10 years with this company you can read between the lines. There’s only been one year since 2015 Nielsen hasn’t conducted a reorganization or layoff. Ironically that one year it was a wage freeze. How lucky we were to not to get that .16 cents but keep our jobs lol.
I’m grateful for my time at Nielsen but bottom line you need to use them for tuition reimbursement, my time, and benefits and plan your exit strategy. When people show you who they are were suppose to believe them. Well Nielsen has shown who they are yet people refuse to believe that this is a never ending wave.
My prediction Kenny will announce in a few months he’s out. I don’t think Sandra has much time as she has integrity and knows this is bullsh-t. Also may I point out that this layoff was conducted without an active CHRO on payroll! Laurie L. left in December. Should have known this would be a circus.
For those that plan to move into other roles during your severance period or before 1/25 be smart and don’t update your socials until after your last payment. I also found out that some managers inquired about bringing folks back in a few weeks once dust settles. Before you think about saying yes know that your severance will be forfeited the moment you sign that offer letter. Be smart and negotiate your start date after your last payment.
Lastly if you happened to face the fate many of us did. When you speak to HR ask to negotiate your benefits into your severance. Meaning instead of those payments coming out of your severance check ask them to cover those cost. I did and after some back and forth I got it. And just increased my 401k contribution. Almost anything is negotiable with this company they just bank of folks not being smart enough to figure it out.
Y’all be safe out there!
There are leaked charts?
i mean not senior managers, not vps, not directors. people with several layers of managers above us. we’re just one level up, but i know that depends on your dept. i’m more a team lead, if that helps clarify. upper level mgmt know what’s happening, will happen, what the reorg chart means & why the leaked charts are missing positions that exist now, they just won’t tell us.
it’s like we’re being used to do the dirty work to fire people and then we will get eventually get chopped too once the reorg is done end of jan/feb
just my gut feeling. why else are we totally in the dark
What do you mean by one level up managers
one level up managers have no power and half of those got fired too, and the rest are expecting to be cut before raises in the summer
it’s basically use the survivors to realign and pinpoint where others can be cut
the reorg charts leave a lot more people out who weren’t cut this go around but see the writing on the wall
all we can so is share what we see to warn others
basically start looking or wait for severance
there are many levels of managers and more will be cut with international firings
Well mgr you still have your job so it's not a consolation for those laid off. You and your overlords have doing lots of dirt for years, but you're still here. Whatever.
The sl------r has at least temporarily stopped.
Although non US countries are up next. No idea yet is this means anyone in the US managing a non US team or working closely with non US teams will be affected.
This truly won’t be over until Q1ends, and we are being told NOTHING. If I had warnings to share I would. Yesterday everyone from low performers to highest best performers were fired. There is no rhyme or reason to it & the decisioning is not being shared.
transparency: i am a manager (who had no idea this was happening) and neither myself nor any other managers in my department have gotten any HR notices today or for tomorrow (when yesterday the same managers had to fire people), for whatever that is worth.
Sorry i don’t know more we’re all still in the dark. This is the worst mass firing process I have ever seen. The refusal to share information makes this all the more stressful & scary.