Seems I survived the layoffs this year. But it is such a lose-lose situation. You lose if you are laid off. If you are not laid off, you still lose because of all the uncertainty and worry. Why do they put us through this?
There has to be a better way to manage this company and its employees.
Cisco Life = 8 months of working hard, 4 months of looking over your shoulder for the 'Shadow Sniper'. Seen more than a few laid off Cisco folks who seem to have suffered PTSD, from it all. Not healthy.
There may be, but expect no different moving forward. Your choice as to whether you subject yourself to the annual gamesmanship of layoffs. Does it really drive you to develop yourself? Always make sure you get more out of them than they get out of you. Good luck. Your situation is the long-standing reality of working at Cisco.