#employeerelations

After spending the last three years wondering if this Tuesday was the day my number would come up, my number finally came up.

I knew Wells consistently sets new record levels of workplace toxicity. Whenever one hears stories about heinously toxic levels at other companies, Wells says “Hold my beer.” But still I did everything I could to keep my job. I was afraid that at my age no one would hire me and I’d basically be unemployable, so a toxic job at Wells is better than no job.

However, long before my severance was up I found a better job at a better bank — A bank with a healthy work environment and one that actually values its employees beyond the occasional Wells e-card stating how much they appreciate you until they fire you and send your job to India.

There is another long-term Wells survivor here, and she told me that she believes many of us carry a lightweight PTSD from the toxic environment at Wells. She may have a point in that over time I can feel the work stress and work paranoia leave me, and I’m sleeping well again.

So DAR, you incompetent fools did me a favor by forcing me out after 20 years. But as a final goodbye, at noon tomorrow, 7/23/26, in going to stand in my desk with my back towards Chandler and drop my pants. At that time, please face north and blow sweet kisses at my shiny white a$$.

GK said it was brave to have their name attached and fake laughed it off

I’d say 50/50 chance!

You can tell how disconnected management is from the company and how they never actually talk to people. They get on a meeting and just spew like everything is great. Soon as you address issues they turn a blind eye because it requires them to do something besides say its great. Like actual issues the company has with getting customers service or improving efficiency. Nope, they make it sound like you are the problem when all you are doing is asking how can we fix this.

BNY leadership loves talking about “virtue” the way marketing teams love talking about “transformation” — loudly, frequently, and with zero connection to reality.

Our CEO reminds LinkedIn followers that he’s a proud New Yorker of 25+ years, as if residency somehow translates into leadership credibility.

Our Global Head of Wealth and Investments performs the humble‑origins monologue while pocketing compensation that could fund a small college like his alma mater.

And the COO? He champions mentoring interns while spending most of his career perfecting the art of shuttering facilities and escorting experienced employees out the door.

It’s remarkable how consistently these executives wrap themselves in altruistic, philanthropic language while employees experience the exact opposite.

If this is “leadership by example,” then the example seems to be: say one thing publicly, do the opposite internally, and hope no one notices.

But employees do notice — hence the monthly mutinies on this forum.

The workforce isn’t rejecting their virtues; it’s rejecting the performance. Because nothing erodes culture faster than leaders who preach stewardship while actively dismantling and failing to communicate honestly and transparently with the very people they claim to serve.

We are exiting end of the year. I am thinking one of many more to come. Anyone know how many members and employees we have in LA?

I’m hearing the whispers of an EISP around August 10!!Sounds like an across the board offer.Nothing special just the regular EISP.But sounds like no restrictions

What can those of us do that are feeling like we are being retaliated against for taking the VSP route. I do care about my job and I want to leave on good terms.

https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Oil-and-Gas-Employment-Hits-a-2026-Low-Even-as-Production-Sets-Records.html
When did they announce these 9000 layoffs? Where are they? Nothing is mentioned in the meetings they have.
Good luck to those affected.

America's existing layoff safety nets, including unemployment insurance and outplacement services, are ill-equipped for AI-driven job displacement. These systems were designed for a different economic era with cyclical, blue-collar layoffs and shorter unemployment periods. Current unemployment insurance trust funds are underfunded, and outplacement services often lack accountability for actual job placement or skill development. Federal reemployment programs also de-prioritize mid-career professionals, leaving them underserved. HR leaders must proactively adapt these systems to support workers through the coming economic shifts.

https://hrexecutive.com/americas-layoff-safety-net-was-built-for-a-different-economy-and-ai-is-about-to-break-it/

I wonder what kind of malarkey the CFO & CEO are putting together to make Humana look so good. Wonder if they will say anything about all the qualified and experienced workers they are displacing.

Humana, and all of these large for-profit health insurance corporations, need to have their Medicare & Medicaid contracts taken away by the government. These corporations have milked and taken advantage of a system that has propped up these corporations that are not only fulfilling their end of the bargain.

The whole reason for these cooperations administering Medicare Advantage, in lieu of Traditional Medicare was to help keep costs from getting out of hand by guarding against fraud, waste, and abuse. But instead of fulfilling THAT mandate, these corporations are lining c-suite executives and shareholder’s pockets with millions of dollars, all the while in denying catastrophic health claims to the elderly, poor, and disabled AND displacing its own American citizen workforce with cheaper temporary H-1B Visas. And these corporations are not even dealing with the fraud, waste, and abuse. But they are denying legitimate claims.

These for-profit corporations would not even exist if not propped up by American tax payer monies. And yet they continue to layoff their very own country’s (Americans) workers, some of which even served their country during wars. This is a slap in the face to this country!

I retired from T and I got a better deal on a cell phone from mint mobile. I went looking ...................... before they cut me off my copper land line .

JJ Watt questioned Pat McAfee's reported $100 million salary during an appearance on McAfee's show. Watt asked if the large payout meant others were being fired to fund it. This occurred as ESPN announced significant layoffs, impacting several well-known personalities. McAfee acknowledged the narrative but defended his team's work. The comments Watt made were reportedly removed from the show's YouTube upload.

https://people.com/jj-watt-calls-out-pat-mcafee-over-100m-contract-amid-espn-layoffs-12024499

Didn't speak to me for the entire 10 business days. I already knew I made the right decision to leave, but that just cemented it. Been away for two months and never been happier. Folks, there are places with normal managers and better culture if you're willing to leave your comfort zone.

I stay because the health insurance covers my kid's therapy and the commute is only 20 minutes. My manager is clueless, but my three teammates are sharp and we cover for each other. Why would I start over somewhere else that'd probably have the exact same issues and no seniority?

What will be left of this place once they're done with us? ESPN will not be the same with so many of the broadcasters that made this place what it is gone.

Whenever they talk about reducing costs, we're the cost they want to cut. Do they seriously think the company can survive without the people who actually do the work? Not the ones who attend meetings about meetings, but the people who keep things running. We're supposed to be their best asset, but we're treated like we're completely disposable. Job security feels like a distant memory at this point.

Does anybody else have the popcorn ready for the moment Dell realizes they've laid off way too much of institutional knowledge and things are not working as they're supposed to anymore and there's nothing they can do about it? I'm personally fully seated for that moment.

They can't keep cutting forever, eventually there won't be anyone left to cut. But even if it does stop, is there any reason to stay? Whoever's left will just be expected to do the all the work of everyone who was cut, for the same pay. I don't see a happy ending here.

Stankey seemed awfully confident during today’s ATG Live. After one solid quarter in a six-year tenure, the tone came across as more smug than self-aware, and the comments about employees didn’t exactly help.

Let’s see what next week brings after Verizon and T-Mobile report. One quarter doesn’t erase years of mixed results or settle the competitive picture.

If I were in his position, I’d spend less time taking victory laps and more time rebuilding trust with the employees who helped deliver the quarter in the first place.

Manika says we have to be on camera when we wfh.

has anyone seen any info on whether our company will support pre-tax contributions to the new Trump Account, like up to $2,500 pre-tax, similar to a 401k? I haven’t seen any official communication from HR yet, so just wondering if anyone’s heard anything.

No rhyme or reason for the chosen: some long term tenured, some newer, but good at their jobs. That department was being hammered by senior leadership about meeting SLAs. They will regret it later when the staffing is needed later in the year. Why, Lord, oh why?

Matt Carr had an all hands yesterday. He said we need to move on from the laid off employees, was laughing the entire time and came off as an arrogant fat man. Not to mention, was complimenting women for looking good, super weird. There was a tornado warning alarm that went off and he dismissed it and kept the call going. He’s not fit for that job. What makes him a psychopath more than anything is that he promised no more lay offs but we all know that lay offs will continue. These “leaders” are clueless.

In a previous town hall, the senior executive who will not be named listened to the frustration of senior directors (plural) under him, as well as chat entries of attendees, on Teamworks which made them lose valuable talent.

The feedback is in unison: Teamworks is not worth the negative impact to employee's welfare and retention. In the end, this senior executive said "Don't worry about teamworks. So long as we don't see an average of five hours of work per day, it's fine."

Well his other cohort, another senior executive, has been going around in staff meetings pressuring managers to get tighter on Teamworks or else they themselves will get in trouble.

Same company (Hughes), two senior executives, two different perspectives on Teamworks.

...did this on an external AI too but translated all of my annual reviews into files, told it to parse them, told it my salary, & asked how hosed & stifled I am here compared to market. It told me not only to leave immediately (both Claude & Grok) but that while delivering more & more every year & outworking everyone else around me I've been deliberately sidelined, pushed around, & my personality used against me by my bosses in their responses to hold me down. That i'm leaving $50k/yr on the table & over the time I've been here have missed-out on $200k in earnings. No wonder I've felt so squeezed by this place & am barely surviving. Everyone else in my role & field is ki-ling it compared to me. This place su-ks & has stolen almost 10 years of career & growth from me.

I can't even get my boss on a regularly scheduled 1:1 for 15min to ESTABLISH a 1:3:5 for me after 2 years. He flaked yesterday while 'working' from India.

Combined with recently being told by my director to fudge numbers on Clarity & that my SSL usage is being tracked & used against me for (carrot dangle) prospective promotions - fu-k this place.

Let's not even discuss how I'm being split between two teams this year & how exhausting that is. They LOVE to keep me dangling in the wind moving from team to team to team - because I'll do it & can do it, I don't push back (thinking eventually SURELY some good has to come of this for me). I never get anything, all I get is hosed & progressively poorer, stolen from in lost earnings by this place. Sc--wed over at EOY in bonus while these shady executives hoard it all for themselves.

Anywhere else I'd be a senior engineer IC or manager by now. My loyalty has cost me a real career & major earnings.

I'm a swe earning under 100k after 8 fu--ing years. I'm done sulking & being a loser about it though. Now I'm on a mission.

Good job blowing me off manager, you just lost an employee.

A Lakewood city councilor is demanding information from PNC Bank regarding severance and rehiring for nearly 800 former First Bank employees. These employees lost their jobs following the bank's consolidation with PNC. The councilor wants assurances that affected workers will receive adequate severance packages and future employment opportunities. If satisfactory answers are not provided, the councilor plans to propose moving the city's 20 bank accounts. PNC Bank stated they retained customer-facing staff and rehired over 250 technology colleagues.

Lakewood, Colorado

https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/in-your-community/jeffco/lakewood-city-councilor-considers-working-to-pull-citys-pnc-bank-accounts-over-layoff-concerns

https://www.marca.com/en/lifestyle/tv-shows/2026/07/22/espn-layoffs-all-the-employees-laid-off-and-the-reasons-behind-the-cuts.html

Recent layoffs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture are creating significant difficulties for meat processors. A representative from the Flower Hill Institute noted that remaining USDA staff are shouldering increased workloads. These workforce reductions have impacted the Meat and Poultry Processing Technical Assistance Program. The institute continues to aid processors in navigating these new challenges. Many processors previously relied on specific personnel for grant reporting and documentation.

Washington, D.C.

https://www.brownfieldagnews.com/news/usda-layoffs-leave-meat-processing-program-facing-new-hurdles/

ESPN has initiated its first significant layoffs in three years, primarily driven by its recent acquisition of NFL Network. This move follows Disney's finalization of the deal, which involved a 10% stake in ESPN. The company is integrating NFL assets and has identified redundancies in its operations. Several on-air talents across various sports have been impacted by these job reductions. ESPN stated its commitment to supporting affected employees through this transition.

Bristol, Connecticut

https://frontofficesports.com/espn-layoffs-nfl-network-acquisition-full-list/

Having worked there for the past 10 years I was shocked to come in and find this out. It feels like familiar faces have been wiped from the office like trying to get an old apple product fixed in the apple store. I heard that the NDAs were brutal? Anyone have any news from those laid off?

How come the majority of EMG in Member Protection (aka Fraud/Disputes in the Bank) were promoted in the first half of the year (EDs to AVPs, and AVPs to VPs) but non-EMG employees can’t get basic promotions in place approved? Like seriously, you can’t get an employee promoted from a level 3 to a 2 or a 2 to a 1. They get denied or you hear nothing for months on end. Not even trying to get people into Lead position, just into positions that they should be in based on performance and experience and yet so many EMG have been promoted like nothing. Just because you don’t send out promotion emails doesn’t mean we don’t know or see it. Absolutely ridiculous!

“An apologist is someone who writes or speaks to defend and justify a specific belief, cause, or institution, especially one that faces criticism.”

Managers need to STOP being apologists for U.S. Bank and defending bad behavior. While you’re not expected to speak ill of the company publicly , you will gain more respect of direct reports if you’re in line with reality. We can spot fakeness. Those that see U.S. Bank with rose tinted glasses are looked at with disdain. Whatever corporate carrot 🥕 you’re chasing here isn’t worth it if no one respects you at the end of the day.

So there is a new tactic that everyone should know about. Since performance management was released, managers have been in touch with HR to understand how they can give more money to their reports that are their friends or family. And the only solution from HR is this -> employees that are seen as critical to business needs and have a legal offer letter from another company will get a salary hike above the normal SAP limitations to match their offer.

So basically, if you have a friend who has a company, ask them to create an AI-related job for you and make you and offer - it has to be a written offer and cannot be just an email or verbal confirmation. And then your managers starts the process by creating an HR ticket and getting an exception for you and increasing your salary.

But the caveat is this - HR has been asked to reject as many of these as possible.

For a handful of roles where a manager is well connected within SAP, they will get HR to approve this and give 10% or more salary hikes. For almost all other roles, they will decline and then HR will flag that you are not committed to working at SAP and find ways to get rid of your role.

So if your area executive or T5 manager of managers or your T4/T5 manager is asking you to find a good role and get an offer and use it to increase your salary, DO NOT DO THAT. A lot of area executives are peddling this as an idea to work around performance management limitations. It is a farce.

This only works if that manager has already made a deal with HR. Otherwise you will not get an increased salary but be asked to join that other job. HR is doing this to easily identify people who can be laid off without a severance. They are also using sick leave and AI usage data to decide who should be put on a performance improvement plan and laid off subsequently.

Be careful of the sneaky HR and area executives and managers.

Hope in one hand and relieve yourself in the other and see which one fills up first.

And repeat the mantra "I am a close personal friend of John Donovan".

Those who work remote have the same title and job duties, but the rejection said “after reviewing your job responsibilities, we’ve decided we cannot accommodate remote work at this time.” I submitted with a doctor’s note explaining the condition and reasoning for the (temporary! Not even permanent, it said temporary) accommodation request, and it was denied. HR never even called me to talk about it, they just read the forms and denied it, which makes me think they’re just denying all of them. Anyone else have this experience?

When will portfolio SEs be pooled resources and not be involved with initial discovery calls?

Just goes to show you how Cisco values SEs.

Who is commuting 5 days a week, 60 miles each day. $25 per day in travel costs not including parking.

Aren’t you exhausted? Needs to be at least 3-4 years until Plano HQ.

Finding new employment in Dallas doesn’t help as commute doesn’t change. Those who work in Plano office are super lucky.