#anxiety

Leadership isn’t about staying quiet when things get hard. It’s about having difficult conversations especially when their employees are struggling.

What’s disappointing is watching so many of them stay silent while the mental strain on employees keeps growing. Ever since Dan became CEO, the focus has been nonstop customer obsession and AI obsession while the human side of the company feels ignored.

Employees are exhausted. Morale is down. People are anxious about their future while incredible talent is being pushed aside in the name of efficiency.

Let’s hope state and federal governments begin putting real guardrails around employment as AI rapidly changes the workforce. Companies should not be able to aggressively cut human talent in pursuit of automation without accountability or protections for workers and environment.

At some point, companies need to ask themselves: what happens when we automate away stability for millions of people? Will all of this still feel worth it when unemployment rises and people can no longer support themselves? What’s most disappointing is not just the decisions being made but the silence of the leaders who see the damage being done and still choose not to speak up.

Technology should support humanity not replace it at any cost.

once you are made redundant, are you ready to go back in there? will jobs change or disappear at other companies too because of this AI implementation? "This company's issue isn't profit, it’s growth." The company must grow to remain competitive; if other companies adopt AI and have fewer roles, then this one must do exactly the same and, as it appears, these are years where they are only letting people go. Are you ready for a world where you just can’t make ends meet because no company will ever need a human doing the job? Am I being too catastrophic or simply this issue is not getting addressed enough with governments and the public?

Im sorry to everyone affected, the market is he-l right now. oversaturaded is an understatement, not to mention meritocratic hiring practices have been done away with in exchange for inexperienced workers who will listen better and take less pay/benefits. If you got hit today, get out there ASAP. Do not wait.

Believe it or not, it isn't happening today. Can’t you see they’re playing with you? They read these threads; they post here. To a sociopath, keeping you on edge is a game—and they love to win.

Stop feeding them.

It will happen when you least expect it, and no amount of "prep" will matter. In the meantime, get your life back. Don’t let rumors and screen-time rot your mind; that’s exactly what they want. You aren't dealing with people who play by "human" rules.

not sure what to expect tomorrow but getting ready for anything:-

• i am eliminated
• manager and/or manager's manager eliminated
• colleagues eliminated
• direct report(s) eliminated
• peers in other BUs eliminated
• everyone distracted and numbed for the rest of the week

reply to this post to keep track

So I just got off a 1:1 with my manager and it was just the quarterly check-in, thinking it will be for the worse. The past few days were filled with anxiety with the rumors and the posts on this site. I think on a mental standpoint I'm done reading these comments and posts. Not to say that it may or may not happen and I do relate to those affected. For those who are worried and anxious these are just rumors. Take care of yourself.

Concerned in the BH UM arena for coming layoffs. Not enough work to keep all of us at normal productivity with current loss in Marketplace.

I know we're all scared, I am too, but don't take what you read on an anonymous forum at face value.
There is no firm proof. Saying "I'm a people manager" anonymously is like saying "my uncle works for Microsoft" on Xbox live.
Fact of the matter is, if you are on a list whether it exists or not, there is nothing you can do about that until it is communicated to you allegedly in 2 days.
If you want to plan for the worst, great, not a bad idea to have a backup plan regardless of a RIF. Please don't let anonymous Internet posters scare you into getting sick over a possibility. Take a breath.

There’s only so much we can take mentally, and people are already stretched thin. We need a break, a real one, and it should be at least six months without constantly worrying about layoffs. Otherwise, I genuinely think people are going to start breaking down. This isn’t normal, no matter how much they try to make it seem like it is.

This stress of Thursday is making me feel sick and reading the last post. Anyone else feeling the same?

Looking to see if any word. I’m scared.

I hate that nearly every Monday now feels like a question of will there or won’t there be layoffs. I hate that I can’t even relax and decompress on the weekend anymore because it’s always in the back of my mind. It just never really shuts off. This is not the Dell I remember, not even close. It’s become such an unrecognizable company these days.

I'm thinking we're getting closer to the AI bubble pop, and once it happens, the layoffs will be brutal. Or am I overthinking it?

Lake Mary

I have a bad feeling 3-4000 minimum will be let go :(

hi,
Hoping anyone impacted today might find this thread and post whatever info they can for the rest of us anxious souls.
Good luck everyone! ❤️

The rumor-mill has been surging - lots of people in Santa Rosa and one of the Galway sites (not Parkmore) are having a lot of anxiety. Everyone is talking about it, but no confirmed sources. Speculation is some announcement May 4th-6th.

Did anyone else just basically shut down mentally with the news today?
Really struggling and doomscrolling. This is going to su-k.
Did any work get done today or did we all just fall into a mental void.

Thanks to shares and bonus, my Box 5 comp went up over 50% last year. Yet, I still want to escape. wtf is wrong with me? Am I a spoiled little sh-t or what?

My CL says the job market is bad right now. I've been at Fidelity a long time and feel anxiety about my comfort zone being so narrow. Especially in light of the pending org changes. I don't have a graduate degree. I am young-ish and nearly saved $1mm nw thanks to this place. I am spending exorbitant time outside working hours to secure my financial future but the pressure is about to make me crack.

I feel like i would be totally lost if I quit or got layoff. But some days, I feel tempted to say phuket and make a scene at the office....

I'm still trying to figure out what I did wrong.

Curious how it works if you get laid off while you’re out on PTO. My manager has been very distant for a number of weeks now so I can only assume I’ll be part of the April 30 cut. I took this week off so they don’t lose my PTO but I’m curious would they still call me on Thursday? What if I don’t answer 😅

With all the rumors, I'm under stress if more invites are gonna be sent or invites have already been sent. Any concrete information might help me prepare or destress myself. Thanks!

Given the bloodbath today, can’t imagine tomorrow will be any better, but a lot worse :(

First, I understand your feelings. I got let go from a different company several years ago and it never feels good. Even though it's usually not personal it always FEELS personal. Especially when you think about all your contributions over the years. Feelings like, "How could they let ME go after everything I've done, all the long work days, all the good performance evals and kudos, etc.!" Being upset is a normal reaction and no one should attempt to invalidate such feelings.

With all that being true, it's also important to not lose sight of the big picture. What's that big picture? All of us are on this planet for - in the span of human existence - no more than a micro-second. And unless you're very famous when you depart this planet, within just three generations almost no one is likely to remember you ever existed. The point? In the grand scheme of things...none of it really matters.

This short, <5 minute video sums it up nicely:

"A Reason To Stop Worrying: Watch This Whenever You're Stressed or Anxious"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Tm6Z1y3h94

And the weird thing is, I'm relatively insulated. I have low expenses, and have built up oversize savings after several years working for a company doing layoffs all the time. I think even if I was somehow fired without severance, I'd probably be fine. But living with the constant uncertainty is ki-ling me. This kind of low-level, continuous underlying stress cannot be healthy. I don't know how people with kids or just less of a financial cushion are doing it.

I'm sure I'll get some trolls in the replies but just curious if anyone can relate.

It's just survival mode at Optum now, constantly restless, constantly anxious. This weekend was especially bad because I know what's coming this week. So damn exhausting.

This week Microsoft announced a voluntary retirement program. While details of the offer have yet to be released, the gist of the offer is that if your physical age and your years of service add up to 70, then you qualify. At the ripe old retirement age of 47, after 24 years of service I qualify. The program is being pitched as “optional” meaning I can choose to take it or not; however, it’s unclear what happens if I choose the “not” option.

I would be lying if I didn’t say that I've lost some sleep over the last day since this was announced. Not out of excitement, but dread. I tossed and turned, questions churning in my mind…."have I aged out of tech"…."do my contributions matter"…."do they think I get paid too much for the work I do"…."will I be able to find another job"…."will I have to sell my house"…"can I afford college for my kids"…..Ahhhhh.

I had always imagined leaving Microsoft on my own terms. Funny enough, this was the language they put in the email they sent, they positioned it as an opportunity to leave on my own terms, but it sure doesn’t feel that way.

I don’t know yet what I’m going to decide, but if you feel like me at all, let’s connect, get organized and figure how to support each other and how to best respond to this unprecedented moment. One thing I know won’t work, trying to take this all on alone, staying silent, and trying to negotiate individually vs collectively. Stay strong, you aren’t alone and there are always other options.

Super ready for this nightmare to be over

Meta just offered a glimpse at what it thinks the future of work looks like: training and supervising artificial-intelligence systems to do what used to be your job. And that’s if you still have a job at all.

The social-media company has been unusually aggressive, even by the standards of Silicon Valley, at pushing to incorporate AI into its employees’ workflows and using it to streamline and accelerate its operations. https://on.wsj.com/4sY3ovU

Already this year, it has started grading employees in performance reviews on their AI use; created ultra flat teams with almost no managers; and begun to develop a so-called CEO agent to assist Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg in performing his job.

On Thursday, the company said it planned to lay off 10% of its workforce, or about 8,000 people, on May 20.

Earlier in the week, an internal memo notified employees of a new software tool that would record their keystrokes, mouse movements and click locations to teach “the next generation of our AI models to use computers.”

It is all part of the tech company’s plans to become “AI native” and transform the way its teams and employees do their jobs as it seeks to spend up to $135 billion on AI infrastructure this year and build what it calls personal superintelligence for its 3.5 billion daily users.

The moves have left some staff filled with anxiety and wondering: Am I helping automate my own job away?

https://on.wsj.com/4sY3ovU

The Insider: The one who actually knows what’s going on behind closed doors. We’re all just here for your leaks. Keep the scoop coming.

The Doom-Scroller: The person paralyzed by layoff anxiety. If you’re this stressed, just close the tab. The cuts are coming whether you read about them or not.

The Lifer: The employee who’s been at AIG too long and doesn’t know what to do. You can Leave. Just Walk Out! If it su-ks, hit da bricks!

The Rookie: The wide-eyed new hire. Do yourself a favour and read the archives. You’re looking at your future. Get out before you become a permanent fixture here.

The Alumnus: The former employee who can’t stop checking the ex-girlfriend’s Instagram. You made it out! Go enjoy your freedom and stop posting here.

The Grudge-Holder: The one who really hates the Retail Casualty CFO. You’re shouting into a void because they aren't reading this. It’s time to drop the vendetta.

The Offshored: The one venting about their role moving overseas (and is a bit racist about it too). We hear you, but there’s nothing you can do. No one is safe from the pivot.

The Speculator: The "Any rumors?" guy. Yes, there are always rumors. It’s either layoffs or a buyout, but it’s all noise until the checks stop clearing.

The "Wait for the Severance" Strategist: The veteran who actually wants to be laid off. They’ve crunched the numbers and are actively rooting for their own department to be laid off. Good luck, we’re rooting for you too.

The Ghost of Corebridge: The person who still hasn't figured out they're no longer part of AIG. You really need your own forum.

The HR Plant: We see you.

The Remote Work Zealot: Regardless of the thread topic: Layoffs, earnings, whatever. They will find a way to argue that forcing people back to the office is the root of all evil.

The Pension Clock-Watcher: The person who has been there 25+ years and wants another round of VERP. Good luck but it’s not happening anytime soon.

Who did I miss?

Is the AI hype just a bubble, or is it a legitimate threat to our jobs? Curious to hear if you think it’s just a proof of concept or if we should actually be worried about workforce disruption.

How sure are you guys about the layoffs happening in May? Hearing a lot of mixed things and trying to figure out what’s actually credible vs just rumors. If you’re a troll pls gtfo, some are on anxiety prescriptions due to this.

We used to have job security. No matter what, I knew I had some stability. I could buy a house or a car because I felt safe. Now my mortgage feels like a noose around my neck since I can't tell anymore if I'll have my job from day to day. It's really sad how much things have changed for the worse.

My wife lost her job three months ago. She worked there nine years. We have four kids. If I get laid off, we're ruined. Please share real information. I just want to provide for my family.

Not something you fear or overthink, just a regular workday like it used to be?

the volume of posts and replies on here rises like a tsunami

What did they think would happen? That we'd go above and beyond for a job that might be gone in a month, or two, or three? We still don't even know when the layoffs are actually coming.

I just got my Monday morning 'business update' meeting invite. Should I be worried....yikes. I'm a remote employee too.

So, here’s the situation: Other teams have actually been pulling work away from us, thanks to all the AI fears, restructuring, and process simplifications. Our MD is super hands-off, and now we’re averaging under two hours of work a day. I have no idea when layoffs might come, and I’m torn: Should I start job hunting now or wait for a package? I’ve been here long enough that if they let me go, I’d get about six months of severance. Maybe I’ll do both—keep an eye out but hang tight. Honestly, the light workload is kind of nice, but it’s also making me anxious—I haven’t been sleeping well at all.

When there are posts of people claiming to be let go, their friend was let go, they know of a team that was let go etc, but they can’t answer when people ask WHERE or WHO even though this is anonymous, it leads me to believe these people are lying. They’re just trying to cause excitement and anxiety and stress.