I'll be eligible to retire in early 2027 and Finance is in the early stages of a reorg. I have 20 years with Shell and am age 50+, so my pension will likely be bridged if I get let go before I hit my early retirement numbers.
Should I unofficially tell my line manager that I'm happy to package out? What are the downsides to making this declaration upfront?
Salt and Pepper could be a pun referring to an older person's hair and the band Salt-n-Pepa? So many ways of looking at this.
The Salt and Pepper poster weighed in with post id @12f+1krcyx4zr
Don't tell unless your whole line management supports you, not just your supervisor.
Good fortune to you
What does Salt & Pepper have to say on the matter?
Recommend you keep quiet, amicable, and productive the jobs market is really difficult and your 401k and paper wealth may evaporate soon. You work with managers not many leaders out there…just saying….2026 FAFO
I agree with the previous posters that have stated that divulging this depends on your line management and not just your supervisor. Sometimes people purposefully thwart your plans, I believe that is a smaller fraction but it is still large enough that there are plenty of anecdotal examples of that occurring. What benefit is there to you for voicing this? Most cases I would think of suggest not telling people at work.
They hate old white men…survive another 2 years then make your move, Trump era going to bring something really big and bad…Remember Term 1 Covid…this time worse…you maybe poorer than you think
@ph depends on line manager and facility manager
Tell em what you want. That’s BS that you’ll be blacklisted and then fired. I asked for mine in 2024 and was given what I asked for. People on here have some cockamamie idea that when you ask you’re put in “the list” for an excuse to fire you without squat. I know many of my colleagues who ask and got what they wanted. People, you need to lose the conspiracy theories and take off the foil hats. Geeze!
@hk I do know of one anecdote. There was a round of operations staff layoffs in the GoM around 2016, and some who raised hands and had the years were told "no" due to position criticality / knowledge retention. I recall some ill will because others of similar tenure got it.
So your mileage may very, I'd say otherwise the advice in this thread ro wait for an announced MOR is smart.
1) Keep your mouth shut for now.
2) Wait for the next reorg.
3) Apply only for positions you will never get. Apply for the maximum number of positions.
4) Act disappointed when you don't get a position.
5) Enjoy your retirement.
Problem solved with zero risk.
Heard this from a friend.
Unlike the other posters, I have never seen someone get let go without severance because they said they would like a package.
That said, I would keep my mouth shut until they announced the reorg and presumably an MOR round. At that point, ask by email what to do if you would like severance. You circumstances might change or your group might get ringfenced.
Sadly the responses are true. Never tell anyone you’re planning on retirement. SVS has a magically way of disappearing for anyone that was “going to retire anyway so you aren’t eligible.” Won’t be a di-k like the poker analogy guy but protecting yourself and potential for any severance means having people think you’re happy to work and be on the team until you die.
If you’re playing poker, do you show the other players your hand and tell them you might be out but you’re staying in for now to see what happens?
Yeah, sounds d-mb, doesn’t it?
The moment you say such a thing, you'll be labeled a malcontent and they will spend the next few months scrambling for reasons to let you go for cause. Documented stellar perf reviews won't help. Your friendship with your manager won't help. All of Finance is gradually moving to India. Your line probably has a 5+3 or okr that awards him/her for migrating faster.
No do not say a word , take it when they ask you .