Thread regarding SAS Institute layoffs

Pink Slips have been handed out in PSD

Layoffs are hot right now -- wonder how many in the division were impacted.

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| 3674 views | | 29 replies (last October 17, 2024) | Reply
Post ID: @OP+1uTykk1b

29 replies (most recent on top)

People are starting to get picked off. It's quiet but it's happening. I know 3 people who have worked here over 20 years apiece and all 3 were let go and paid out last week. Different departments, different jobs. etc.

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Post ID: @9teb+1uTykk1b

If you work 9-5 (or 8-4) that's 8 hours a day/40 hours a week. You have to put in 7 hours of work a day plus one free hour of lunch time a week, totaling 40 hours a week, with just 35 hours of work a week and 5 free hours of lunch time a week. That's pretty sweet if you do not have to work overtime due to the nature of your jobs/projects. Not every one has to work over time so this is nice for those that can do so.

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Post ID: @6wvi+1uTykk1b

So are layoffs still “hot” right now?

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Post ID: @6mhp+1uTykk1b

I believe the 35 hour week was based on some sort of research indicating that code quality decreased (i.e. number of defects increased) after the 35 hour mark. Fixing defects isn't value-added work, so the length of the work week, and subsequent pay level was decreased. Hence begins the legend of the 35 hour work week with lower than market pay.

This is based on some rumor I heard long ago.
But then again, I also heard a rumor about a second family in Poland.
And another about a young woman who had JG's face.
And still another about a strong pipeline and an IPO.

With this place, you never know what's true and what's nonsense.

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Post ID: @6zlm+1uTykk1b

Certain groups and certain projects required more than 35 hours per week. Some still do.

Also, some of us loved our work enough to give it extra time. I averaged 50 hours per week at SAS.

But there’s nothing wrong with working an honest 35-hour week. That's what SAS advertised, and it usually paid less than 40-hour weeks at other companies. So it was a fair deal.

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Post ID: @6mbl+1uTykk1b

The 35-hour work week is because SAS gives you one hour free time for lunch Mon-Fri that you don't have to make up the time for lunch like most companies require.
For those with jobs/work that can work just 35 hours and be done, that's good and advantageous for you. You are very lucky and should be thankful.
For those that have to work beyond 40, 45, 50, 60 hours a week, that's not so good. You are not lucky if for years you keep getting heavy workloads, and/or additional work on top of your own to make up for the slack of your teammates because your manager cannot manage the group well and have favoritism, then it's time to escape! I did when it reached 65 hours a week!

You can easily keep track of your work hours by jotting them down each day at the end of the day.

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Post ID: @6ptu+1uTykk1b

@5mnv+1uTykk1b

The rationale behind a 35 hours working week (instead of 40) is that during a 40 hours week a lot of time is wasted. By requiring 35, the idea is that the time is used for actual work - focus, be productive, and get it done. You are then free to use the other 5 hours for life.

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Post ID: @6nvt+1uTykk1b

@5mnv+1uTykk1b

The "35-hour work week" was advertised as one of the company benefits when I was recruited for a position at SAS. It is one of the reasons that I accepted the offer.

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Post ID: @6sst+1uTykk1b
Keep going. I need more entertainment.

I can't compete with you physically, and you're no match for my brains. But it's so simple. All I have to do is divine from what I know of you.

I am not a great fool, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you. But you must have known I was not a great fool, you would have counted on it, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me.

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Post ID: @6voi+1uTykk1b

@5lwz+1uTykk1b LOL!

The irony behind stating that the honest people will agree with you in claiming to know most other peoples hours worked is laughable.

Keep going. I need more entertainment.

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Post ID: @5ntc+1uTykk1b

“ Is it really that difficult (especially for someone with your obviously superior intellect)?”

I am clearly not the one with the superior intellect since I clearly stated I do not have the ability to keep track of other peoples hours. You however seem to keep track of everyone else’s hours. The superior intellect is clearly yours.

“ Almost guaranteed. Well, the honest one anyhow”

Wow. Pretty impressive guarantee. You are amazing.

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Post ID: @5duk+1uTykk1b

"I have enough trouble keeping track of my own hours much less “most of the people”"

Is it really that difficult (especially for someone with your obviously superior intellect)?

"Oh wait. Do most people agree with you also?"

Almost guaranteed. Well, the honest one anyhow.

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Post ID: @5lwz+1uTykk1b

“ Regardless, my experience is that most of the people bragging about the large number of hours they work (or worked) significantly overestimate.”

It is super impressive that you know how many hours most people work better than they do themselves.

I have enough trouble keeping track of my own hours much less “most of the people”

Oh wait. Do most people agree with you also?

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Post ID: @5ype+1uTykk1b

"they made sure that their employees were well-qualified and working at least 40-hour weeks."

SAS shouldn't have advertised a 35 hour work week if at least 40 was expected.

Regardless, my experience is that most of the people bragging about the large number of hours they work (or worked) significantly overestimate.

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Post ID: @5wri+1uTykk1b

“That’s what got us into this problem in the first place - expensive, un-intelligent, un-credentialed, under-performing, 35 hour work-week lazy, and complacent labor.”

More precisely, the problem is that such people got promoted.

I had some truly great managers at SAS. They rewarded intelligence and effort; they made sure that their employees were well-qualified and working at least 40-hour weeks.

But they could not achieve their goals, because they had to compromise with other managers who had different goals.

This mixed bag of talent was adequate to maintain an existing revenue stream. Clearly, it has not been adequate to create new ones.

Hence we get layoffs.

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Post ID: @5kjm+1uTykk1b

"I’ll be surprised if SAS is still around as a real company in anything close to 20 years."

Correct. Because ...

  1. JG and JS will be long gone by then.
  2. Heirs do not seem to have any interest in SAS.
  3. V9 revenue stream will be totally gone.
  4. Viya will be gone too.
  5. There does not seem to be any present irons in the fire for the future of SAS.

20 years is a very long time. It won't take that long...

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Post ID: @5xak+1uTykk1b

“Why hire someone who will retire in a year instead of someone who will work for 20 years?”

Who in management is going to encourage long-term retention of employees? That’s what got us into this problem in the first place - expensive, un-intelligent, un-credentialed, under-performing, 35 hour work-week lazy, and complacent labor.

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Post ID: @5mnv+1uTykk1b

“Why hire someone who will retire in a year instead of someone who will work for 20 years?”

I’ll be surprised if SAS is still around as a real company in anything close to 20 years.

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Post ID: @4ugf+1uTykk1b

Nepo-baby managers can hide behind fresh interns. The new interns view them as "boss", while the older employees who've heard rumors or seen really bizarre, unprofessional incidents know them as lucky sp--m club members who simply failed upwards. New interns give the nepo-babies a fresh start.

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Post ID: @4rox+1uTykk1b

@4gkd+1uTykk1b

It might additionally indicate that there are more early career people looking for jobs than there are late career people.

Why hire someone who will retire in a year instead of someone who will work for 20 years?

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Post ID: @4vaf+1uTykk1b

Re: interns

There definitely seems to be a huge influx of interns and “early career” positions.

IMO it’s laying the groundwork for cheaper labor.

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Post ID: @4gkd+1uTykk1b

“Layoffs are hot right now”

So how many at SAS were let go to make it hot?

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Post ID: @3axl+1uTykk1b

"8 new interns joined the Art Department"

If that is true, consider that tone deaf and salt tossed in the wounds of those who just got laid off from PSD.

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Post ID: @1cuv+1uTykk1b

Sorry about the layoffs in PSD and those affected.

In others news, 8 new interns joined the Art Department, which is safe.

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Post ID: @1tgx+1uTykk1b

Once heard from a customer:

"Oh, no, we don't need you to develop a new solution, nor do we want your UI. We just want access to your API. We'll take care of it from there..."

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Post ID: @1atp+1uTykk1b

Has demand declined for PSD?

Best wishes for all!

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Post ID: @1ibr+1uTykk1b

I know 3 of them and I was told 12.

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Post ID: @1jyb+1uTykk1b

How many?

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Post ID: @1qee+1uTykk1b

I know of one person affected there last week

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Post ID: @hwh+1uTykk1b

If true did you get the documented severance?

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Post ID: @zkq+1uTykk1b

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