Anybody knows how GE determines who'll be laid off? What criteria is used?
I'm just curious, considering that I've seen some of the best employees let go. I'm going to assume their age or pay are taken into account? But wouldn't that trigger possible age discrimination suits?
Age discrimination is real.
I think sh--ty managers hide behind the fact that they never provided feedback or coaching to poor performers and drool when they get a chance to take the easy way out and let them go. Sad part is those same managers won't change and neither will the workplace with their poor leadership.
Layoff criteria (1) age (2) paycheck (3) IC (4) location (5) boss is buddy - (ethnicity, old friend, etc).
GE uses six sigma scoring that almost guarantee the most productive and best employees are let go.
Its ironic but true
To get around age discrimination, they classify by group such as Lead Professional and target the amount of LP workers to go. This way they can show they are not getting older workers, even though they are. They always keep six sigma types, who are mostly useless and often dead wood.
GE has no use for technical experts because they believe they have six sigma procedures to do the work where you don't need expertise. This is what has gutted out GE technical capabilities and turned GE into a mediocre low expertise dumbed down workplace.
I can't speak for the whole company but within engineering there is no buddy system. Decisions are made on 1. Need for the role, sometimes the entire team. 2. Relative performance within the team. I have NEVER seen salary or age be used as a factor. The proposed list is reviewed by legal to determine if any of those being impacted have any Omsbuds case or HR issue that would make the layoff retaliatory in nature. I have been involved in decisions in 5 layoffs and the description above has always been the case in my experience. Bottom line is when you are cutting this deep a lot of good people are being impacted thru no fault of their own.
@kyz That depends on whether or not you have any direct reports. For an SPB with no reports, that's high enough to get a bullseye.
So what is "high paid" target - as an SPB, I make $150K....
At the end of the day we all know that GE uses the good 'o' buddy system when determining layoffs. But of course for legal measures and to make it look good and fair they have to lay off a few of the considered "best" employees go so that it wont seem unfair. The company and especially Greenville is as cut throat as it gets... I realized that years ago and even though Im still around here in Greenville I plan to get out sooner than later. The moral of this place s---s. Time to move on.
PREDIX
From my experience, being included in a buddy Network is key to survival. It’s hard to penetrate this network and compete with their influence. Ask anybody in Greenville SC.
Management looks at several things when laying off employees. The first would be strategic need for the role or position within are roadmap. Another reason is synergies (duplication). If these synergies exist at two locations they will pick location with potential going forward. Usually HQ or Hub. For people managers they want 8 -10 reportees. and some will be consolidated. Finally it comes down to wage of similar positions/roles. Also their is some unfair reasons like your boss/sponsor just likes you. You notice they let execs move around to strategic bussinesses but will not let average employee move like in transportation.
Usually salary plays a big role. Get paid too much and the beancounters paint a target on your back. In the days before PD@GE, getting a "Top Talent" appraisal two years in a row was not as good of a thing as you might think. The safest place to be in GE is hiding among the mediocrity and having a few buddies who like you.
Also, since GE paid for the schooling and accreditation for many of these people, how smart is it to let them all go to competitors? Once again those who ruined GE go away with golden parachutes while the people who actually ARE the company get nothing.