This was just posted on Watching IBM and is quite believable.
Please keep this anonymous.
Many of us in the Technical sales arena are getting our walking papers on Thursday, March 29, 2018 with a 90 day notice period.
When the manager’s call was held, the clown that led the call started off by saying the following, “I look forward to working with you all throughout the year on this and other opportunities.” Talk about a lack of situational awareness and a complete lack of empathy…shocking I know. 🙂
HR and the executives on the call kept telling the managers that they need to own the process and the decision of who was let go. One of the managers brought up the concept of Culture, Ethics, and being honest and the fact that IBM has created a toxic culture because we are being forced to lay off people that have done nothing wrong. This is not about their performance, this is about IBM’s lack of execution and strategy and driven strictly by profit/greed. Several managers that had people affected by this action spoke up and applauded him for stepping up and stating the facts as they are. Of course HR and the executives completely sidestepped his factual statement.
Also, for those of us that are forced to lay off our entire department due to the infinite wisdom of our executives…this wasn’t a choice. They want us to tell them it was our choice. Oh sure, that would go over really well. The conversation would go like this, “Hey Joe, I am calling to let you know that you are being laid off along with my entire department and myself….oh and it was all my choice.” LOL (The stupidity and audacity to tell us to let them know it was our decision.)
The Technical Sales organization employed 6,000 people four years ago. During this round of layoffs they are letting go 1,000 more Technical Sales professionals, leaving the organization with less than 3,000 in total to cover the entire North American region.
Ginni has destroyed this once great company. I am no longer proud to say that I am an IBM’er and I haven’t been for the last 6 years. I was hoping it would change and that the board of directors would wake up to her lack of vision, plan, and strategy. She has killed the company and the pride that went along with treating people like people instead of just profits. I am sick and tired of laying off people that have done nothing wrong and have done exactly what was asked of them. I won’t miss looking over my shoulder and having to tell another hard working person that they are being laid off through no fault of their own.