#forcedattrition

I am part of the Splunk organization and our team has been handed over to the most toxic manager I have had in my entire working career. We couldn't tell if they were exceptionally stupid or if this was a strategy to get our entire team to quit without severance. On the .Conf floor, I learned there are other teams facing the same situation with their management. We've already had two folks quit that I have worked with for 10+ years. Did John Morgan instruct his management teams to find ways to get us all to quit so they don't have to pay out, or is the company culture to just hire trash directors now? Wondering how many other people are facing this.

On an earlier thread several asked for a repost of content paraphrased below:

For a career at the company, your performance vector has to be a net positive for 20 or 30 years. You can go up and down a bit around the middle bucket and be ok as long as you work hard and are diligent and a team player.

But if you drop and stay in lowest two buckets for more than two - four assessment cycles you should be concerned over perceptions of the perceived baggage you now carry as a perceived low relative performer longer term, as the unconscious bias of your rankers is very difficult to overcome.

With that backdrop, after the 2020 8-10 % MLRP program followed by 4q20 15 % voluntary and involuntary; there is net exodus of roughly 23 - 25 percent of your peer / ranking group on gross average in many instances.

So... what this now means to you is...In 5 months from now in May 2021 there is probably to be rationally expected between another 3-10 % MLRP program on top of this reduction in 2020.

So the end result in June of 2021 is roughly 26 - 35 % of your peers in your current rank group are no longer present after next rank cycle in 2021. Probably most of them that will have left the company populating the “ni” and “good” designated lower two quintiles.

So after May 2021 the ranking system and the math both requires any remaining ”Goods” to become “NI” or “NSI” and many “very goods” have to either become “Goods” and “NI” to make the math work on the forced rankings with quintile buckets still required.

Then fast forward and replay this into May 2022 - assume no layoffs but anything between a 3-10% MLRP process consistent with what happened this year.

If you think you are “very good” now you truly really are , but in the relative world of next rank cycles, on a relative ranking basis the “very goods” must have to mostly now become mostly “NI” and a some “goods” in just less than 18 months from now.

Math and forced rankings are hard to overcome the actual reality of how the game evolves for anyone ranked less than 50% because the usual 5–7-year progression of falling to lower quintile and outcome is now accelerated in the last year by the 23-25 % real reduction that occurred this year and another 3-10% that would potentially be exposed to MLRP and PIP in May 2021.

It is brutal system when expressed mathematically.

Best of luck with all future endeavors.

Any current “very goods” please really note , you are now at best “ni” or “good” in lowest two quintiles right now today as we step into next ranking cycle.

Don’t get mad at your bosses when they tell you this, just say you are smart and understand math. Don’t make them uncomfortable personally because they also know and disagree with the math, but they can’t say they disagree with the math.

It is what it is... no use being an a..hole when everyone knows math is math.

Have a financial plan already in play and always have other options in play. There is no long term loyalty so be the boss of your own destiny.

And you must unfortunately fully understand that when you drop into the bottom 25-30 percent there is really no recovery for you to have long-term career with the company.

It is sad to have to write this guidance. It was not like this 15 years ago.

Keep technical skills current and avoid going management track where most of your technical skills will become obsolete in 2-5 years.

New mechanical forced overtime policy of the week. You live here now! If you’re good and the director likes you, you may get to see your kids three hours a week (but only if they come to the shop). Now get to work you slaves! Oh, and your union said it’s okay!

Stack ranking is generally considered ineffective and destructive for long-term organizational success, though it remains popular for short-term cost-cutting and forced attrition.

Why does PayPal still do this? It cripples your organization. Any organization still stack ranking deserves their ultimate fate, fading away to oblivion!

USAA doesn't really lay off people as much anymore. They just make your life miserable until you leave quietly. Pay attention for a while and you'll see I'm right.

Is there a method that companies use to get people to leave?

4 days and 6-6 schedules didn’t push as many out

I just had a co-worker terminated Monday at mid-term. Also saw this once last year at mid-term. Looks like HR is making the call if you have a low performance review. Both employees had over seven years. Another quiet way Ford is removing employees.

I have been with the company for over a decade and until this year every single review has been meets or above. This year I got smacked with a below meets on my mid-year check in. Can they use this to terminate me without severance? I am fine with getting laid off but I want my package.

Another item for your reading pleasure. Doubtful that Stinkey has read this one.

https://enhancv.com/blog/rto-stealth-layoffs/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Well, their plan is working. Over the last month two of my most talented colleagues have left for other firms. As predicted by every study, the forced attrition is working through departures of the most talented. The only folks being left behind are those that cannot leave, the CVX cultists, and the unhireable (which we have so so so many of). It’s like watching a company rot before your very eyes…

Is it just me or is there an active campaign to push out all of the upstream employees?

They are definitely going to micromanage people out so they don't have to pay! Getting a lawyer to be on standby. But if the PL can at least have a heart and stand up for us and know we will be out of y'all's hair asap and to please please not set us up to be let go. I have seen it happen too many times.
Noone cares. Trust my noone does.

Pretty much…if you don’t like it, leave.

I’m working on that, Gunjan, don’t worry.

It’s clear if you are remote or not in one of the main hubs, there is no longer any growth for you. They want you to leave.

So disheartening after years of dedicated work to just feel like I’m being pushed out!

What do the Attrition metrics for IT look like? I know its by design to get rid of Americans, but it seems much worse than anything ive seen.

At least not that I know of. If the whole ploy of being forced back into the offices to thin out the workforce (we all know that's the real reason) doesn't work out, are we looking at another major round sometime soon? How long are they going to wait to see if their plan is working?

Has anyone heard of GE HC "forcing" people to retire?

Heard some G8 were force to take a pay cut and become G7 and if they didn't accept those terms. They're gone and would not even get the severance package.

Yes, State Farm su-ks but half of complaining about “woke” and “customers” don’t even know what you’re complaining about. It’s greed at the of the day, they’re trying to make this place as miserable as they legally can to get people to quit without severance or even the voluntary exit offers. RTO su-ks, i don’t care how much you loved your office back in 1980, times have changes and there is literally nothing that we do at home that can’t be done from office (other than wasting hours of our life in traffic and pointless dribble chatter with coworkers), “customers” are the last thing on the executives mind, much less mine, they can read what they sign up for before they complain. Yes, I am actively looking for other places to work and I can’t wait to leave.

ExxonMobil’s MLRP is a performance‑ranking system that forces a fixed percentage of employees into the lowest category (“NSI”), often triggering PIP or separation options. It functions as a structured mechanism for performance management but has been widely criticized for effectively enabling layoffs under the guise of evaluation.

What the MLRP System Is
ExxonMobil’s Management and Leadership Review Process (MLRP) is an annual performance‑ranking system that categorizes employees into tiers. A key feature is the mandatory minimum percentage of employees placed into the lowest tier, Needs Significant Improvement (NSI). In 2020, ExxonMobil increased the required NSI share from 3% to 8%, expanding the number of employees exposed to performance‑based consequences.

Employees placed in NSI may be:

Forced to resign,

Placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP), or

Given a Performance Improvement Leave (PIL)—a 3‑month paid separation option with benefits and outplacement services.

How the System Works in Practice

1. Forced distribution
   Managers must rank employees relative to peers, ensuring a fixed percentage fall into NSI. This is not purely performance‑driven; it is quota‑driven. Employees report that even strong performers can be pushed into NSI to meet the quota.

2. Consequences for NSI employees
   According to internal details shared by employees:

All NSI employees are subject to PIP or PIL.

Employees 40+ years old get 21 days to decide between PIP or PIL; those under 40 get 7 days.

All PIP/PIL programs must begin by September 1, with an off‑payroll date of December 1 for PIL.

1. Impact on newer employees
   Employees with less than two years at the company who fall into NSI are often asked to leave immediately.

Why the System Is Controversial
Employees and analysts argue that MLRP functions as a layoff mechanism, especially during downturns, despite ExxonMobil publicly stating it does not use the system to reduce headcount.

Reported concerns include:

Opaque criteria and limited feedback before being ranked low.

Morale damage, as employees feel they must “play the game” rather than focus on meaningful work.

Disproportionate impact on older or higher‑cost employees, aligning with broader cost‑cutting and offshoring strategies.

Summary Table
Aspect What It Means
Purpose Annual performance ranking and talent management
Key Feature Mandatory % of employees placed in NSI (raised to 8%)
Outcomes for NSI PIP, PIL, or forced resignation
Employee Concerns Quota‑driven cuts, morale issues, perceived covert layoffs
Company Position Claims system is for performance improvement, not layoffs

If you want, I can also break down PIP vs. PIL, explain how to navigate the system, or compare MLRP to other oil‑industry ranking systems.

Confirmed 5% RIF including Dinosaurs who would be forced to retire.

Always has been. Now with a side of gas price misery.

I am an NGINX Dev and I'm worried about my friend that works in F5 Digital. I can confirm forced resigns are happening in US and India. Be careful joining F5 Digital Team. If you've doubts, confirm with your friends at F5.

A lot of chatter around layoffs, but it seems that they are going to just starve out and fire folks in the B2B Mid Market space. Unattainable quotas, 30 day PIP process, calls for 75% of our time which limits finding real deals within our base. Over 22 years with the company, I cost more than most of my peers. I would be a natural layoff candidate. Would love to hang for a RIF, but I do not think they are ever going to let us go like that when they can get rid of us all free.

Anyone see it differently?

F5 started adopting forced resignations instead of layoffs. Recently did let go 22 members and no one is talking about it.

It's very hard to choose a person from your team.

Is this a sign they're ramping up attrition, or am I just seeing isolated cases?

Does anyone else feel that ASI intentionally wants workers to quit? It seems as if leadership is forcing people out.

RTO was designed as an attrition playground from day one, that was always the point. It was obvious they'd keep tightening the sc--ws, and turn up the heat if not enough people quit on their own.

So have you heard that the move to remove all remote workers is underway, if your not in a HUB the plan is to ask you to move to a HUB or leave. Come on is this true

Has anyone else noticed a growing pattern / trend with Dell layoffs where "someone" will "leak" information about a particular group or org's upcoming layoffs, but layoffs are not for months out. Then, the company will do everything in its power to make their lives a living he-l so they quit on their own before their slated layoff time.

I've seen this pattern over and over now. Pretty slimy way to run a business. The forced attrition has gotten out of control.

PIP has been moved to 30 days instead of the normal 90 days. 30 days to get on pip 90 days to get off pip.….whoever makes these decisions are so out of touch with reality they should be in a mental institution

If you don’t hit 50% of your phone target you move immediately to a written warning.

All hands call tomorrow. Maybe members of the cwa should get on and speak up for us

As I see hiring I also see forced retirement and cuts for similar roles. Worst thing is they fire you and ban you from rejoining for life! one of the worst way to treat your own ex employees who you called family!!!

Is it just me or does it fell they're quietly pushing out long-tenured employees? Not laying off specifically, but finding ways to make them quit?

They're not relying only on layoffs anymore, they're just making the package worse and worse. Reduce a benefit here, increase a cost there. It's passive-aggressive workforce reduction, and it shows what they really think of us.

AK made clear on feb office hours that 15-70-15 here to stay. Also said 20-60-20 next year. Clear mission to shrink the company. Get out on your is if you can. Only people ready to retire and waiting on a package should be complacent.

We are being forced to work 4 extra hours a week of OT. Thoughts?

https://www.superlawyers.com/resources/wrongful-termination/forced-to-quit-how-to-know-if-you-have-a-constructive-discharge-case/

Proving an employer forced you out (constructive discharge) rather than a genuine layoff involves showing their actions made your job intolerable, using documentation (emails, texts, inconsistent reasons, sudden negative reviews, shifting policies) to prove an illegal motive like discrimination or retaliation, gathering witness testimony, and showing patterns of unfair treatment (like retaining younger/less qualified employees). Key evidence includes contradictory statements from the employer, a sudden shift in performance feedback, or being pushed out after reporting issues, making your resignation legally equivalent to being fired, notes this video shows how to prove age discrimination by showing a younger employee was hired as a replacement.
Key Evidence to Gather
Documentation of Intolerable Conditions: Emails, texts, notes about harassment, unfair treatment, or creating impossible work situations.
Performance Reviews & Policies: Positive reviews before sudden negative ones, or inconsistent application of company policies.
Shifting Justifications: Employer changing reasons for termination (e.g., from restructuring to poor performance).
Witness Statements: Coworkers who observed unfair treatment or discriminatory comments.
Statistical Patterns: If a specific demographic (age, gender, race) was disproportionately targeted in layoffs.
Timing: Termination shortly after a complaint (harassment, disability, pregnancy).
Comparator Evidence: Less-qualified employees outside your protected group were retained.
Steps to Take
Document Everything: Create a detailed, chronological timeline of events, interactions, and incidents.
Report Internally (If Safe): Inform HR or management about the conditions to give the employer a chance to fix them (and to create a record).
Consult an Attorney: Before resigning, speak with an employment lawyer to see if you have a constructive discharge case, as this is a complex legal standard.
File a Claim: An attorney can help you file with the EEOC or state labor boards if you qualify.

I expect conditions and requirements to get worse over time. It was never about productivity, in-person cooperation for efficiency, or god forbid the benefits of thriving office culture. It was always meant to push as many people out as possible on the cheap, making compliance so irrational, inconvenient, or impossible that we'd just quit.

If it's not going as planned, meaning not enough people are leaving on their own (which is understandable in this job market and economy), it will just become more inconvenient and unbearable. That's the playbook.

RTO = forced attrition. AI will sh-t can a lot of jobs anyway so we might as well ride until the train stops.