Thousands of us service providers were let go today! Our severance? Lifetime free WW membership. Big woop.
266 replies (most recent on top)
Spent years with the company, was one of the original chat coaches, and was let go yesterday on what was a cruel phone call. My TM was in tears as she read the script. Shame on WW. I fully understood the need to cut my position, but the way they did it? A "wellness" company that will send so many of us into emotional/stress eating, but let's handle it in such an awful way. Again, shame on you, WW!
I am also a long term employee that was also on the termination call. It was like we were corralled into a room with duct tape on our lips. The company that taught us to care and support our members, to make them feel like part of the group. Unfortunately they did not extend that same sentiment to their loyal and dedicated service providers. I understand business decisions and layoffs during these times however the presentation of this terrible news was heartless. It’s shameful.
I unfortunately was on the bad conference call. A 5 minute audio only zoom where we were all muted. The TM read a scripted statement and then abruptly hung up. After 10 years of putting my heart and soul into this job I was devastated and angry. How unprofessional to fire staff in a 5 minute conference call. We were told to not let anyone know we were fired, and we would be paid for our meetings up till 5/29. For me that’s about $50. In addition to the meeting pay we were also told we would receive free membership, which as a lifetime member who qualifies for free membership anyway, is like giving me nothing! Insult to injury, later last night I received my official termination email from a 3rd party company telling me what I had to do. One page was a flier about “Life being Worth Living “ and a phone number to call if I needed counseling! Seriously?! They also directed me at my expense and inconvenience to mail back my center keys. I don’t know about where Mindy is from but in NY we are in a stay in place order and I for one am not venturing out to the post office. I think as a company they have forgotten who their core members are. WW wants to move to this virtual platform because it’s so much cheaper for the corporation however many members will not embrace it. Many of our existing members thrive in a workshop model and do not want to do zoom calls. Good luck Weight Watchers you have alienated many of your core members with this heartless move. Remember all of your employees were members first!
Seven years with the company and let go on a Mass Zoom call ! You couldn’t turn on your video was told though a pre recorded speech. No explanation as to why it was you! They don’t care about there employees. But we do get to be a member for free for the rest of our life’s or “There’s” BFD..
Hi. I was a guide and chat coach
- I cannot believe I was told not to say I was laid off in this cruel call.
My reward for the years I put into this with my everything is being assigned to the “bad call”?
I know who was not on that call, we are coworkers and friends. They make you really think about how they chose who to screw over!
I know of new employees that didn’t get laid off, and of very long term ones who were.
The decision seems as sound as randomly launching Freestyle and ditching the beloved prior plan, or suddenly wanting to be called WW and saying it does not stand for Weight Watchers!
A year laterFreestyle is Blue! And green is suspiciously like pre freestyle! How new and innovative.
Members freaking out about their wins, I wanted to ask what could possibly be worth using those wins on that is worth getting aggravated over?
Their switch from worksmart to teleopti for chat coaches was a real pain in the butt!
So was the live pro c-ap! So, they have this history of what seem like random and terrible decisions.
I loved most members (definitely not several on chat) and I did enjoy my job. This was really an insult to myself and others on their later call!
I am disappointed I made this job such a priority in my life for years, when this company is heartless and cruel!
Oprah and Mindy, may WW I mean Weight Watchers, crash and burn.
Yeah I never could get into the call I was supposed to be on, and then after the call was supposed to be over someone texted me and asked if I was ok after the call, and she was ¨there for me¨. Ive worked there for over 25 years and had no idea what this co-worker was referring to so I answered that I couldn´t get on the call. Within minutes my TM called me and I refused to answer, as I was beginning to suspect that I was supposed to be let go on that conference call, after decades with the company, being let go in a phone call!!! So I tried to get into my work sites which I was suddenly locked out of. The message was clear. I did not get the message to ¨not tell anyone¨, so I posted it on FB. I was in shock and needed the support I think. If I´d been told not to Iḿ enough of a schmuck that I may have listened. So Iḿ glad I never got on the call and I´m also glad I did not answer my TMś second call or listen to her second message. I thought we were friends.
I’m am devastated ! This was a job that I worked from home as a 24/7 chat coach and in the studio as a guide. I was also a coach although not active. I’ve been with the company 6 years. This money kept myself my husband and 2 kids (2 1/2 and under 1year old ) afloat!? Now what!? I’m a stay at home mom and this worked perfectly! So unprofessional and not based off seniority at all! Fired in a 3 min mass phone call with many others !? Not ok! Don’t worry though you Are free for the rest of your life with ww.
This really s—s. Cut loose immediately no notice. So much for caring about people
Tsk, tsk on Weight Watchers!(WW) So many things are WRONG with this FIRING. Present WW members beware! Get yourselves ready for a new company name. It may start with a big "O". Look for these meetings in a "Theater near you" Netflix?, HULU? The only concern for these greedy corporate jerks is the almighty $$$!! Jean Nidetch, I apologize for not seeing this travesty sooner, because I would have quit. This was not your dream. Shame on you corporate jerks!!! This will come back to bite your greedy butts #$%#!
I was dedicated to this company for 20 years. The way this was handled was absolutely disgraceful! It was cold-hearted and cowardly. I hope that WW, Mindy Grossman, and Oprah all go down in flames!!
I texted my WW coworkers this morning and it seemed like I was the only one who got the email (to my WW and personal email) so I contacted my territory manager and then they all contacted her and they were all on the 230 central call and I was on the 3 o’clock. Only one other person I knew was on the 3 o’clock and we were let go. We all talked about it because of that I was with them for four years and those ladies are family to me. I’m heartbroken. I guess so many people were laid off that the territory manager couldn’t handle it all in one day or something, who knows. Thank God I have a full-time job for now. I had honestly been debating if I could handle both anymore and I guess I got my answer. At least I don’t have to pay for a WW again.
After 11 years with WW, and helping them get their workshops up an running virtually, I was let go by a zoom call with several of my co workers. They muted us, and made sure we didn't have a camera on. They tell us we are not allowed to talk about it? So the members that have become friends with us want to know why we are no longer in the workshops? Are we supposed to be sneaky like WW?
They let us go in less than 4 minutes of being on the call. This is the worst company I have ever worked for.
Yeah my coworkers who had a phone call at a different time refuse to say what they discussed but did say they weren’t fired, before realizing people on the later call were!
So yeah, do they think WW cares about them? That they are exempt from this happening to them? Were they told they were more worthwhile employees? Way to make this divisive WW!
Well, no wonder why no one it’s texting me back. It’s allegedly a “secret,” that people were told to keep. That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard. Is this not a free country? We didn’t sign a confidentiality agreement.
Yes, I didn’t even get the phone call invite. I just got an email. Totally unprofessional.
They said you can’t tell anyone you were let go! It’s a secret! Ok so what can they fire you again if you do tell someone? And so messed up that employees not fired call at one time and fired employees call half an hour later? Kind of a nasty move. You’re left to wonder why you after 15 years? But you realize someone hired 6 months ago was not fired.
I was let go via a recorded Message. What a way of disrespect to all involved . Who of my fellow co workers and supposedly friends were let go is a secret . Really ?????
I worked at WW for 35 years and was laid off by a pre recorded message on a mass call.
I am so mortified my career with them ended on such a note, pandemic aside.
I was a Coach my entire adult life, and intended to be one as long as I could still work.
I can’t express how hurtful this was.
21 years of loyalty as a guide, location coordinator, special events coordinator and mentor and less than a 5 minute phone call which I believe was a recording and asked not to say anything? I'm so sad. I put my heart and soul into this company. Jean Niedach would be so ashamed. I want to know how they made the decision. I worked a lot and was the go to person for many staff.
Weight Watchers really has proven to be out of touch! What a time to pull this on employees of decades! What a pathetic way to do this. Horrified by their lack of loyalty to their so called WW family.
The form letter from Mindy Grossman? It’s a litany of nothing.
After 27 years to get laid off by a prerecorded phone message doesn’t speak much for the company. Wonder how they decided who to let go.
I still do not know what happened and if I have a job or not. I got dropped from the call my manager setup for us and they created a form for us to fill out to get paid for the call but it didn't work. Typical big corporation behavior. I'm so glad it was only a part-time gig.
It is true. The starting layoffs today due to COViD19 and not being able to re-open studios. They gave two weeks pay and a Free WW lifetime (not sure if that is to there app or not. Big deal. I was a Guide, then a leader and then they took my leadership status away because I could not commit due to my full time to be a leader or coach every week and reduced me to a Guide. I am not sure how they made their decision who keep or let go but they it was handled was disrespectful to their employees. They put a lot on the staff that work with the members for unrealistic wages.. Jean Nidetch would be ashamed of where this company has gone.
If you think you work at WW you probably don’t! Check your email. No loyalty to their long term employees. They deserved a little better from the company they practically dedicated their lives to.
Yes I was fired along with my colleagues in a one minute mass call. I put my everything into this job. This is an unprecedented time, but a shameful handling of the situation. Better together?
I heard from someone on the call that all or nearly all employees will be fired and will receive an email.