After over 20 years of service, I was read a script that I was being surplused... zero human interaction on the transaction
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I was read my script in first quarter. My boss lied to make it sound like you don't want to be here with all these changes ahead. I know he was delighted to do it as he often complained I made more than him. He was the worst manager I ever had and I should have left 8 years ago when I was transferred to his organization. I had was 62 with 25 years so am retirement eligible for what little that is worth. 3 more years until medicare.
Sorry to hear this. Remember the movie "Up in the Air", where George Clooney flew around the country laying people off?
join the club
It’s Big Business to lay-off Employees with little emotion or reason. HR and Legal boil the action down to the basic statement. “Your Position has been eliminated. You are Surplussed. Your last day on Payroll is 60 days from this notification. If you chose, you have an optional exit date 18 days from this notification.” Anything more than that statement is frivolous. I suggest accept what is and move forward. It is difficult due to longevity and emotions but in the end your number was pulled, it’s your turn. I had 40 years with the Company. I survived so many of these slash and dashes that I lost count. But when you start receiving emails offering early retirement just prior to official notification of voluntary separation, you know you are being targeted. I survived 2 of those in 12 months. The third one got me. I was fortunate. I fell back into retirement. Some reading this aren’t as lucky. Hold your head high. Know you did your best. Know you’ll land on your feet. Best of luck in your future.
They have to read the script. Even the recent work location changes were fully vetted and scripted by HR and Legal...my Boss, who I like and BS with on the daily was forced to read me the script....Every time they announce a surplus it's completely scripted. The joys of working for a huge corporation.
@xeb
There is some wisdom in your post but …"...negotiate an offer to the extent possible". What type of offer is someone who has been read the script negotiating exactly? You're being shown the door. There is no negotiating. You're entitled to what's yours and that's about it.
Make it a positive you are better than any company that sells their people to ibm like cattle.
I'm so sorry. I was hit with that script in March after 15 years. My manager who I considered a friend after working with him for over a decade acted like a robot and treated me like I had the plague. It was a cold slap in the face. I hope you land somewhere where you are better appreciated.
If you personalize the impersonal you will end up having more ruminations over things you have zero control over; the ideal situation is if you have leverage and laws and can help them to understand that while it's no personal to them that its very personal to you. Be respectful, negotiate an offer to the extent possible (gone are the days of a 'good' offer). I have found that if you change gigs every 3 years you are less exposed to being read that script. In my experience the company has decided to make a conscientious effort to be younger as those with experience are more expensive; in the end this is all about dollars and cents and sense/nonsense. Invest in yourself and be glad in it and protect your interests. Being a victim is pointless, max out 401K to the extent possible, hold your breath, and put the peddle to metal - get a mentor as up the food chain as you can.
Sorry to hear that but they don’t want to get sued. I have never understood att’s hiring practices and they just play games with people that instead of giving them jobs they can do. Probably because they have to get the pension liability down.
"I was read a script that I was being surplussed" - That script comes from the legal department so they can prevent some lawsuits. Managers want to get personal and feel bad about what they are doing, but saying phrases like "I'm sorry", "I didn't want to do this" and "They are forcing me to do this" would just help you in your suit against the company.
Don't mean to trivialize what happened to you. They must have watch the move "Up In The Air" with Anna Kendrick about a team that specializes in streamlining layoffs crushing everyone. Eventually, they even do it remotely, not even in person. Harsh.
I was surplussed from previous companies prior to working at T and was used to it. Then I interviewed at T and was so happy for 28 years and then they put out offers threatening the IT org with layoffs if you didn't take it. All I can say is if it hadn't ben for the other companies laying me off that I wouldn't have gotten a better job. And often it's not the first company you go to, but the second. The first is just a launching pad. Best of luck.
Sorry to hear that bro. If I may ask , what title are you and what state ? A full third us will be surplused before this is over.
It's a policy deal they have to do...it could and should be followed up with some more personal interjection.
I know it doesn't seem like it right now, but it's for the best and it can be really good. They did me a favor. Toxic place in the rearview.
Sorry to here that, to give so much of your heart and time to a company and be treated like a throw away item is a sad way to treat anybody!!! Keep your head up and you know that eventually karma rears its head on people that treat someone that way.