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Planning and Managing Layoffs

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Re: Planning and Managing Layoffs

#91

Post by rubidium »

crispyambulance wrote: post #18

Sounds like compassionate and practical advice, but nothing particularly insightful. Having seen the shit-storms of the early naughts, yes, I can say there are worse ways of doing layoffs. Hint: deactivating key cards at lunch time isn't a best practice, nor is dribbling out lay-offs in waves like a year-long "last man standing" game show particularly helpful. Nor is calling an all-hands meeting and having the CEO cr…

Agreed its not insightful but doesn’t need to be. It's not an area where insight helps. Just good, professional process. Many people are emotional at such a juncture and having some guiderails is helpful so they can check their plan.

Re: Planning and Managing Layoffs

#92

Post by 101404 »

TsomArp wrote: post #85
lnsru wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was intern in 2008 and working very hard. Doing not only mandatory things, but also taking care of lab equipment and helping neighbor labs. Very loyal, no distractions, sitting in the lab until late and working probably 1,5x or even 2x more hours I was paid for. And then boom! My manager came and told, they must throw away all the interns to save the costs. Throw away me and the other intern who worked in kitchen w…

I can understand you working 100% and no more. And I can live with it if I was your manage.r But no loyalty, no team spirit? No way. For me it is a two way road. I give you flexibility to work remote some days, to arrive at 10 some days, to leave earlier others, but in exchange I expect that you some days will work more hours, arrive earlier or leave latter, and maybe work some weekends. It should be a balance.

What have you points to do with what OP said?

Homeoffice, flex time? That's all things that benefit the company just as much.

No relations to working only the hours they are getting paid for.

But that's the trick. You are presenting unrelated things as if they had to do more than agreed upon just to get those. Pretty cheap attempt to guild tripping.

Re: Planning and Managing Layoffs

#93

Post by the-dude »

toadi wrote: post #41

Seems odd... To be honest I'm from Belgium and like how layoffs are handled in my country. There is a rulebook with actual legislation behind it. I like that because it is easy to know for both parties what the expectations are. Mostly you know exactly your severance pay as there are fixed rules for that in your contract. If there are mass layoffs it will trigger other rules. Can't understand the American Freedom thi…

From a fellow European : yes, in the US firing is much easier.

But hiring is much easier too.

Re: Planning and Managing Layoffs

#94

Post by 101404 »

lnsru wrote: post #89
TsomArp wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can understand you working 100% and no more. And I can live with it if I was your manage.r But no loyalty, no team spirit? No way. For me it is a two way road. I give you flexibility to work remote some days, to arrive at 10 some days, to leave earlier others, but in exchange I expect that you some days will work more hours, arrive earlier or leave latter, and maybe work some weekends. It should be a balance.

No remote before pandemic offered, 8:30-15:00 must sit in the office. Constant micromanagement. How to save €200k with cheaper hardware proposition rejected, integration test design forbidden, IDE migration middle in the project despite my protest started. My current place does not offer any balance. Edit: if I can solve my own errors on weekend I’ll do it for sure! But I am not liable for management fails.

Why would you fix errors on weekends? (except for critical stuff, and then take off a weekday instead, of course).

Errors are a normal thing for human work, especially software developer. Nothing you are "guilty of" and have to make right with your own money/time (same thing).

Re: Planning and Managing Layoffs

#95

Post by luckylion »

the-dude wrote: post #93
toadi wrote: post #41

Seems odd... To be honest I'm from Belgium and like how layoffs are handled in my country. There is a rulebook with actual legislation behind it. I like that because it is easy to know for both parties what the expectations are. Mostly you know exactly your severance pay as there are fixed rules for that in your contract. If there are mass layoffs it will trigger other rules. Can't understand the American Freedom thi…

From a fellow European : yes, in the US firing is much easier. But hiring is much easier too.

> But hiring is much easier too.

Largely for that very reason, I believe. If it's hard to get rid of somebody, you will make extra extra extra sure that they are a very good fit.

Re: Planning and Managing Layoffs

#96

Post by 9nGQluzmnq3M »

crispyambulance wrote: post #18

Sounds like compassionate and practical advice, but nothing particularly insightful. Having seen the shit-storms of the early naughts, yes, I can say there are worse ways of doing layoffs. Hint: deactivating key cards at lunch time isn't a best practice, nor is dribbling out lay-offs in waves like a year-long "last man standing" game show particularly helpful. Nor is calling an all-hands meeting and having the CEO cr…

Because the economy is tanking and layoffs will follow, even in Silicon Valley?

Also, this is intended as a practical manual from someone who's been there and done it repeatedly, not a random blogger attempting to dazzle with their "insight".

Re: Planning and Managing Layoffs

#97

Post by lnsru »

101404 wrote: post #94
lnsru wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No remote before pandemic offered, 8:30-15:00 must sit in the office. Constant micromanagement. How to save €200k with cheaper hardware proposition rejected, integration test design forbidden, IDE migration middle in the project despite my protest started. My current place does not offer any balance. Edit: if I can solve my own errors on weekend I’ll do it for sure! But I am not liable for management fails.

Why would you fix errors on weekends? (except for critical stuff, and then take off a weekday instead, of course). Errors are a normal thing for human work, especially software developer. Nothing you are "guilty of" and have to make right with your own money/time (same thing).

I was twice on weekend in the office in last 3 years: one time due to legendary IDE migration in the middle of project. It wasted 7 months in total. Any the other time I wanted to finish my release on time. Of course, it was postponed on Monday. Both times it was wasted personal time, zero gain.

Re: Planning and Managing Layoffs

#98

Post by baq »

cwyers wrote: post #66
whatever1 wrote: post #57

These posts bring me to the realization that you should never go above and beyond for a company that you don’t own. Just show up, do the bare minimum to meet expectations, finish your 8 hour shift and go home and enjoy quality time with your family. This way when you get laid-off there is nothing to cry for. You can always find an occupation, but you cannot get back the time that you dedicated to fulfill someone else…

That's true if you don't need recommendations from the people you're working with to get your next job, if you don't want to get promotions (which help you get better jobs down the road!), and if you are content to spend 40 hours a week from now until you retire just coasting through life. I think a better way to look at it is -- don't be loyal to something that can't be loyal to you. But you can and should let yours…

being loyal to any organization which has an HR division is a recipe for depression. don't do that.

Re: Planning and Managing Layoffs

#99

Post by throwaway8291 »

Why pretend and cloud the idea, that the main reason a person has a "job" today is to accumulate capital for capital.

As long as this notion persists (which will be for many more decades I fear) power inequalities will just mean that some will suffer more (those who do not have resources in the first place).

Hey, you know, I am really sorry, but thanks for all the capital you helped us to accumulate - which we own and not you. Bye!

I imagine the most profound societal change will come from getting rid of this notion and the resulting reduction in power asymmetries.

Re: Planning and Managing Layoffs

#100

Post by jbkiv »

Judgmentality wrote: post #44
jbkiv wrote: post #30

Different point of view: I was a Founder and CEO during the dot com era. The company survived and became successful ($2B revenues today). It may be unpopular, but I will give you a different view, the one from a Founder/CEO. After the dot com crash no VC could figure out the good from the bad in their portfolio companies. I was starting to get conflicting opinions from my board (4 VC’s and me, the Founder). “Become a…

> The night before I did not sleep. I was up at 5 and drove early to the office. I stopped multiple times as I was sobbing and could not drive (I wear glasses). > As I was reading to talk, I started crying. Everybody was watching me in silence. I know my comment is slightly off-topic to the article, but I just wanted to empathize with you and what was the worst day of your life. My company failed completely, but when…

So you understand...Thank you. I learned plenty of lessons: make money, don't over hire, be frugal, don't bend to pressure for fancy gigs and out of control travel expenses. Plenty of lessons for sure. I have sympathy for Founders who will find themselves in that kind of situation. That miserable sense of failure to your people. Good luck to all.
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