Thread regarding Cisco Systems Inc. layoffs

"Only do it once" was an approximate quote from JC...

...and every bit as believable as his "we're family" routine. JC was a disciple of Neutron Jack so anyone who believed it at the time was not fully attached to reality. Sadly the things he was serious about like creating 100 first priorities were insane.

Hilarious. People are edge, and I feel for you. Sorry.

"Only do it once" was an approximate quote from JC and others in early 2000s. OBVIOUSLY, it became a habit. It is proof that it all went to heck, and the idea of One Big Layoff One Time was a pipe dream... because the foundation was already badly broken.

Good luck to you all, you need it.

Only do it once? You are definitely a Cisco employee. They were doing frequent layoffs from 2001 to at least Q1FY2025 that we know of, sometimes quarterly.

I joined Cisco in the mid-2000's and I recall a co-worker who worked w/ me at a different company back in the late '90's joined Cisco about 8 yrs before me. They got LR'd from Cisco when Cisco closed an entire BU in Richardson, TX. I'm pretty sure that wasn't in '01, but was possibly in '03. Back when I joined in the mid-2000's and they announced a reduction in '08, I tried to google to see how many previous LR's Cisco had done and I only found mention of the one in '03. I definitely don't recall any big LR's between '08 and '11, when they had the first early retirement offer followed by the 5K+ workforce reduction, or WFR, as they called it. Then after '11, the LR's started coming more often until they were definitely annual. I can't find any info on LR's between '01 - '08 other than that one in '03.

I remember when they started down the "councils" path. I asked my manager if he knew the Russian word for "council". He didn't. I let him know it was "soviet". He got mad. LOL

And then right after that big early century layoff ("only do it once"), the pivot to offshore went into full overdrive. It was over.

Only do it once? You are definitely a Cisco employee. They were doing frequent layoffs from 2001 to at least Q1FY2025 that we know of, sometimes quarterly.

You'll notice in the stock price of the day infinite growth was gone which was the independent variable. Cutting costs was the dependent variable.

What you say is true, and also very hard to admit. The point about groups being demoralized when they were boxed into ancient tech with no budget, while MPLS could run free with big bucks, is spot on.

JC had a few good years. Birthday breakfasts were fun. He let very smart high level managers do their thing. But frankly, by early 2000, the writing was already on the wall as some bad decisions from the massive acquisition spree started to make impact, even though the stock was sky high.

And then right after that big early century layoff ("only do it once"), the pivot to offshore went into full overdrive. It was over.

People hate CR so much that they now think JC is a saint. No wonder why they still work here. Bunch of mo--ns.

Time to put CR on PIP !!

Chuckie is worst CEO not only in tech but in the Fortune 500

Chuck has been CEO for over a decade and has accomplished zero