Thread regarding Nike Inc. layoffs

There is bloat in Brand Creative but it’s with the directors and above who sit in meetings and decide who works on what. They reassure themselves of their importance but nobody is fooled. Nobody “leads” because they are all afraid and leaders don’t allow for new thinking.

The ETWs who are being shown the door were a mixed bag. Some were trash. The dregs of the design world. Some were absolutely phenomenal at their job and should have been full-timed ASAP. It shows how controlled everyone is by finance and HR when good people who are highly competent cannot be retained.

It also shows cowardly leadership to just “lay them all off” vs keep the good ones. So many good people are going to leave and it will hurt the work immensely. Not to mention, no information provided by anyone either. Horrible for morale and a terrible culture move. Hilarious given there’s a “Director of Culture” on the BC team and somehow nobody thought to ponder the impact to team culture by doing all of this.

And yet, campaign after campaign, ad after ad, Nike cannot stay frugal with marketing budgets. But when it’s time to make a cut, people are less valuable than shiny expensive ads that leadership once again commits to. Cannot wait for JS to leave.

"First, contractors are contractors for a reason."
Yeah, the reason is because Nike thinks it's either cheaper or better looking for the numbers to staff full-time roles with contractors. Very few of the ETW roles I saw within this team met the definition of a contractor. They were all full-time roles, staffed by contractors to save a buck. Like so many, I was given the line about "we'll start you as an ETW, but if things go well..." Years later, that team still runs a large majority of its staff as ETWs.

First, contractors are contractors for a reason. They are utilized when needed and dropped when not needed. That’s why they are “contractors” and not “full time employees”. Yes that’s a raw deal for them but it’s something that should always be expected when you’re a contractor.

Yes, correct. AND ALSO:
They are human beings.
They are employed at Nike's whim.
Just as every black badge is.
Expected or not, it's worth acknowledging the impact to those individuals.
And when they are 'dropped,' there is a ripple effect to the teams of black badges who remain behind.
Which is worthy of discussion here, just as much as all the other discussion on this site re: leadership, morale, company culture, job security, and all the rest of it.
If you aren't interested in understanding and discussing those issues, you obviously aren't interested in anyone else's experience or opinion so, why are you even here?
What are you getting out of dismissing the conversation as "nonsense" and discounting the impact on individuals and teams? I imagine it makes you feel more secure in some fashion, hope that works out for you.

This layoff talk is mostly nonsense.

First, contractors are contractors for a reason. They are utilized when needed and dropped when not needed. That’s why they are “contractors” and not “full time employees”. Yes that’s a raw deal for them but it’s something that should always be expected when you’re a contractor.

Second, Nike is always thinning the heard by a few employees in select areas. This time it’s TA. Again a raw deal for them but a mass layoff this does not make.

Third, if anyone is ever worried about large scale layoffs the Oregon WARN site is the place you should look. If you don’t see a notice there you’re probably OK.

All of that said a large layoff within the next year or so wouldn’t shock me. Everyone knows certain orgs have bloat and there are certain employees who literally do nothing. Nike could slash headcount by 5% and no one would notice. There are A LOT of jobs at Nike that are “nice to haves” but not “necessary to keep the business running”. Might be another year or two but eventually the ranks will be culled.

@1sym+1psomhD5 - had to laugh at your comment regarding the 'extra workload' that others in Brand Creative will have to absorb. I call BS. Brand Creative has MORE than enough people to absorb the work. Start with the "Studio Directors" who do absolutely nothing on a daily basis. Rather than 'direct', perhaps they should get their hands a little dirty and dig in and so some of the work. Can think of so many - too numerous to count. Then throw in CD's, who manage AD's, who manage Sr. Designers, who manager I and II's - well, you get my drift. And still, Creative Brand will never get right sized.

Edit:
Most of these contractors have been working full time long-term for years without the benefit of conversion to full time... so yes they're "contractors" and yes they chose this status originally, but there's a gray area where they are extended continuously. And they comprise a significant chunk of the workforce. More than a third of brand creative at HQ, for example, are contractors, and the amount that were laid off was a significant blow to the morale of everyone.

Most of these contractors have been working full time long-term for years without the benefit of conversion to FTE... so yes they're "contractors" and yes they choose this status but there's a gray area where they are extended inevitably. More than a third of brand creative at HQ, for example, are ETW and the amount that were laid off was a significant blow to the morale of everyone.

sure, yes, contractors may not be FTE's. but they are human beings and their livelihood (and benefits) are directly tied to Nike's decision-making process just as much as any FTE. just because they were never promised any kind of job security, doesn't mean it's not worth acknowledging the impact on them, not to mention the teams that will have to shoulder their workload once they are gone.

It’s not “nice” but @qeo+1psomhD5 is technically correct. For +20 years now Nike has mitigated layoffs through elastic contractor ratios.

You know layoffs are coming only after they’ve trimmed your department’s contractors once or twice.

@ghv+1psomhD5 Contractors aren't FTEs. Not having your contract renewed is not a layoff. Stop spreading FUD.

can confirm that a number of Insight Global folks in Global Brand Creative org were notified today that they would be laid off

I follow a Nike contractor on X FKA Twitter who was let go today. Pretty sure he worked at LAHQ.

Where in HR getting a layoff?

HR dept is also laying off right now

Can confirm. Friends who work at WHQ have been laid off. Some folks I follow on Twitter that work for Nike announced being laid off.

Source?