Disclaimer: If bad language hurts your feelings, don't read any further. Also, grow up.
I'm a Sr. CAD Designer with 11 years experience, 6 of those at my current company. Our engineering teams have lost very senior engineers recently due to forced retirements and layoffs, with over 150 years of company-specific experience between all of them. I genuinely want to quit on the spot when we are forced to attend company-wide quarterly updates from the #1, 2 and 3 bros at the top when they openly brag about record profit margins, acquiring smaller companies to "increase global market presence" once or twice a year. etc.... all immediately following two rounds of quiet layoffs. You know, the ones that are strategically implemented by the company executives and lawyers to avoid WARN laws so the company can avoid having negative new articles that shareholders will definitely see. But hey, it's just business.F those average people who now have to scramble for a new job, right?
As a father of 2 young kids, my yearly 2 or 3% base salary increases do not keep up with inflation, let alone result in an actual raise. Medical, dental and vision benefit plans also rise in price every year. On one hand, I'm grateful to have avoided two rounds of layoffs so far, but that only goes so far when 6 years after being hired, my base salary has effectively dropped by 19% (based on conservative/self-serving government website calculators). In reality, we all know inflation is higher than that. These suits throwing record profit figures in our faces is an insult. Not only does my personal situation factor into that frustration, but I also think about the guys we lost who weren't expecting it - we're a skeleton crew considering how large this company is, so nobody in engineering expected to be on the chopping block.
Are there any actual leaders out there in the corporate world or all of you self-serving, spineless "yes men" who never push back and then try to act like you have your teams back when shtf and we end up with burn out? Seems like there is no logic with layoffs and how businesses operate. Given my experience in companies who sell a physical product, you'd think the heart of the company is engineering and should be prioritized if innovation and being an "industry leader." It's more likely a lot of bs falling out of the mouths of these suits who fly around to all the different company sites, talking to us like we're children who don't understand what's going on... instead of ya know, having an actual plan and avoiding the hard conversations while living in fairy tale world where our colleagues and friends didn't just get thrown on the streets. At a lower level, Managers focus on KPI's and metrics, making everyone's day-to-day life harder but then... never use those metrics to justify not screwing over what is already a skeleton crew?
Pleasesack up and do better if you're a manager or director. You have all those KPI's and metrics we gave you, right? Use them. When an executive comes to you with a chopping block list, step back and formulate a way to push back because you and I know that they have NO IDEA what it takes for your team to succeed and hit the numbers they expect. This doesn't even necessarily have to be during the meeting. You can call for a meeting afterwards to convey why they are wrong. Laying down without a fight to avoid making waves doesn't help anyone. Your now smaller crew will burn themselves out hitting those numbers (maybe) and if they don't you'll look bad. The suits will look bad. Shareholders won't be happy. Company share value will decrease. There's your incentive for fighting for us. And you know what will happen next time things get tough? The suits will continue their uncreative, unintelligent way of "solving" budget problems. Lower level people are not as stupid as you may believe. We see your pathetic excuse for leadership, especially former military.
Directors and above, I know your masters at the top who constantlyglaze all over your chin are only worried about this quarter and next quarter reports, but things are changing. Help them see the long-term consequences. I'm 36, but absolutely expect gen Z and beyond to unionize the corporate world in the near future. If you're hoping to climb the ladder to get where they are, it's probably not gonna be how you envision it with more and more people becoming in favor of unions. There is a good chance you'll have wasted your life getting to obtain something that will no longer exist when it's your turn.
I'm a Sr. CAD Designer with 11 years experience, 6 of those at my current company. Our engineering teams have lost very senior engineers recently due to forced retirements and layoffs, with over 150 years of company-specific experience between all of them. I genuinely want to quit on the spot when we are forced to attend company-wide quarterly updates from the #1, 2 and 3 bros at the top when they openly brag about record profit margins, acquiring smaller companies to "increase global market presence" once or twice a year. etc.... all immediately following two rounds of quiet layoffs. You know, the ones that are strategically implemented by the company executives and lawyers to avoid WARN laws so the company can avoid having negative new articles that shareholders will definitely see. But hey, it's just business.
As a father of 2 young kids, my yearly 2 or 3% base salary increases do not keep up with inflation, let alone result in an actual raise. Medical, dental and vision benefit plans also rise in price every year. On one hand, I'm grateful to have avoided two rounds of layoffs so far, but that only goes so far when 6 years after being hired, my base salary has effectively dropped by 19% (based on conservative/self-serving government website calculators). In reality, we all know inflation is higher than that. These suits throwing record profit figures in our faces is an insult. Not only does my personal situation factor into that frustration, but I also think about the guys we lost who weren't expecting it - we're a skeleton crew considering how large this company is, so nobody in engineering expected to be on the chopping block.
Are there any actual leaders out there in the corporate world or all of you self-serving, spineless "yes men" who never push back and then try to act like you have your teams back when shtf and we end up with burn out? Seems like there is no logic with layoffs and how businesses operate. Given my experience in companies who sell a physical product, you'd think the heart of the company is engineering and should be prioritized if innovation and being an "industry leader." It's more likely a lot of bs falling out of the mouths of these suits who fly around to all the different company sites, talking to us like we're children who don't understand what's going on... instead of ya know, having an actual plan and avoiding the hard conversations while living in fairy tale world where our colleagues and friends didn't just get thrown on the streets. At a lower level, Managers focus on KPI's and metrics, making everyone's day-to-day life harder but then... never use those metrics to justify not screwing over what is already a skeleton crew?
Please
Directors and above, I know your masters at the top who constantly
