Live data from Hacker News

HP to cut 25-30k jobs

bbc.com

131–140 of 319 posts

Re: HP to cut 25-30k jobs

#131

Wow this is a pretty huge cut. However, I won't lie/sugar coat it -- I think of HP as one of the most stereotypically bad big companies (where you can go in get a job, and almost never get fired, despite not doing very much work), so this is probably a great move for them. I can't imagine it really takes 300,000 people to do what HP does. I'm sure there are departments that do cutting edge hardware/software work at H…

After they bought VoodooPC they turned that org into their Envy line which put out industry-leading PC's for a minute. Now it just makes low-end Mac knock-offs :(

Industry leading premium heaters/friers, maybe :-D Those early Envys were hot as hell and the processor was right under the palm rest. Quite an idiotic design...

Re: HP to cut 25-30k jobs

#133
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If he's called-in to early retire or otherwise let go, make sure he doesn't sign a non-compete at that time. He should have anything he has signed, and is asked to sign, reviewed by an attorney. It's just not reasonable for companies to terminate someone's job and tell them they can't compete including being hired by a competitor, but they try this all the time in blatant ways and it's not just the old guard companie…

Would HP really try to get someone they are laying off to sign a noncompete contact?

Often times this stipulation can be part of a severance package.

Re: HP to cut 25-30k jobs

#134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What precisely did Carly Fiorina do weong, and what precisely should she have done instead?

I think she kind of kill the HP Way read http://www.paloaltoonline.com/weekly/morgue/2002/2002_04_10....

Thanks, that article was very helpful.

Re: HP to cut 25-30k jobs

#135
My first job, when I finished college in 1992, was at HP.

They hesitated to offer me a job, because they said that when HP offers someone a position, they're basically offering them a job for life.

Sure, you can snicker at that comment, since almost no company would (or can, or should) make such a claim nowadays. But people told me that before I got there, in the mid-1980s, there were big problems at the company. Rather than have any layoffs, they reduced everyone's salary by 10%, and told people to only work 9 of every 10 business days. This included everyone, starting with the top managers.

I'm not sure if that was the right thing to do for the company. And I doubt many companies would do that today. And if they're talking about shedding 30k people, then HP is planning some drastic changes.

But it's sad for me to remember the HP that I worked for at the time, in which there was a strong sense of community, and of "we're all in this together" -- and to think of the people who joined when such an ethos existed, and who will be laid off now.

I'm not sure if there's a real alternative, and I'm a capitalist at heart... but it's still sad to see so many people laid off because it's now in style to break companies apart.

Re: HP to cut 25-30k jobs

#137
post #100
post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Chile is a far stronger economy than Poland will probably ever be.

Is this a joke? Poland has a larger population than chile, better per capita GDP, and is a power house in the middle of Europe. They do still have some internal problems but this is nothing compared to the (low key) international conflicts Chile still is involved in. I love both countries though.

Why would you think that's a joke? GDP is only one metric, you know. And Poland's GDP Growth Rate is 1.67% to Chile's 4.07%. Chile also has a lower unemployment rate, and ranks higher than Poland on economic freedom.

Re: HP to cut 25-30k jobs

#138
post #100
post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Chile is a far stronger economy than Poland will probably ever be.

Is this a joke? Poland has a larger population than chile, better per capita GDP, and is a power house in the middle of Europe. They do still have some internal problems but this is nothing compared to the (low key) international conflicts Chile still is involved in. I love both countries though.

[deleted]

Re: HP to cut 25-30k jobs

#139
post #8

My father is a field-service engineer for HP in Midwest (based out of Minneapolis, but he has calls all over from Fargo, ND to Mpls, MN to Madison, WI). He is _the_ go-to for their biggest, most senior, most mission-critical clients. He put together UMN's Alpha setup, is the only guy that USPS will call for help, MNSCU, Best Buy, UHG... basically, anyone with an HP setup (server or printer) that's a Fortune 1000 (and…

I wish your dad all the good luck. I feel like the position and age combination he has is the worst to be at the moment, it's going to be tricky to move on.

Give him a hand if you're in the position to do so.

Re: HP to cut 25-30k jobs

#140
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If he's called-in to early retire or otherwise let go, make sure he doesn't sign a non-compete at that time. He should have anything he has signed, and is asked to sign, reviewed by an attorney. It's just not reasonable for companies to terminate someone's job and tell them they can't compete including being hired by a competitor, but they try this all the time in blatant ways and it's not just the old guard companie…

Would HP really try to get someone they are laying off to sign a noncompete contact?

He has probably already signed one as part of his employment.
Post reply on HN