Thread regarding Wells Fargo & Co. layoffs

Spans and layers?

I've seen a few comments on this forum regarding spans and layers targets being increased from 7:1 per manager to 10:1. A Teamworks search finds several references to the 7:1 plan but nothing about 10:1. Can anyone confirm this 10:1 claim and provide how you came to know? Thanks!

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| 3211 views | | 12 replies (last March 14, 2021) | Reply
Post ID: @OP+19Lh2zSK

12 replies (most recent on top)

I had 7 and they made it 13 overnight. I feel like an admin.

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Post ID: @6vcn+19Lh2zSK

As a manager of 7 I can’t imagine having to manage 10. At that point I’m not a manager but an administrator. And I’m gone.

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Post ID: @6ypd+19Lh2zSK

Amazing someone thinks managing 40 is acceptable. A lot of geniuses around here apparently.

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Post ID: @2jje+19Lh2zSK

Possible. Has the potential to be a vicious cycle where they require managers to have 7-10 but keep downsizing people so there's a constant slow slide to sub-7 and then more managers can be canned. I really do think the company and the remaining employees will be better off after we've trimmed down, but surviving that 2 years will be taxing, no doubt. I hope that once that's all over we can FINALLY get some degree of stability in this organization, because right now it's so much change and so frequent that most people have no idea what the heck they are doing. Hard to build relationships/strong teams and be a subject matter expert when there are weekly reorgs and policy/procedural changes.

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Post ID: @2sym+19Lh2zSK

I have a manager who has 40 after several managers were let go. Several others in our area are in the same boat. There is no way you can effectively manage that many. Ridiculous.

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Post ID: @2zgm+19Lh2zSK

Maybe targeting 10 so the managers have at least 7 without more reorganization after all the layoffs are done?

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Post ID: @2yal+19Lh2zSK

Nothing in writing, but as a manager on the tech side I am hearing the EOY 2021 target is 10:1 for span of control.

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Post ID: @1vge+19Lh2zSK

I have doubts that there is a fixed # of allowable layers of management. I'm 5 down from the CEO, with no managers below me, and I'm under no illusions that I'm safe from the spans/layers 'plan'.

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Post ID: @1atz+19Lh2zSK

Spans and Layers Master Thread
Q & A Thread for all things "Spans and Layers" related
September 17 2020 by Anonymous | 3057 views | 1 reaction (+1/-0) | 14 replies (last September 18)
Post Link: : @OP+16ZgzQcP


Spans and layers

Planning is in progress to cut layers of management across the company in Q3. No less than 7 directs per manager. Staff cuts will be later.

June 5 2020 by Anonymous | 5197 views | 5 reactions (+5/-0) | 40 replies (last November 11)
Post Link: : @OP+15jly0qk


What are you hearing about spans and layers?
July 10 2020 by Anonymous | 4894 views | no reactions | 23 replies (last January 3)
Post Link: : @OP+15SWsb11


Spans and layers

What’s going on with spans and layers? My manager just tried to promote one of his pets to a manager role. The other two managers who report to him don’t even have enough work to do and he wants to add another manager with an imaginary job description. Dysfunctional and inefficient. Guess what department? You guessed it compliance.

February 1, 2020 by Anonymous | 2501 views | 6 reactions (+4/-2) | 9 replies (last 3 days ago)
Post Link: : @OP+13icJfsl


Spans and Layers

Managers who are 5, 6, 7 layers down from Charlie claim that they have no knowledge of what is going on with spans and layers. Do you think that is true, or are they just not sharing what they know? Who will determine the spans and layers? Will managers above me have any input on the decisions that are made?

August 4 2020 by Anonymous | 4520 views | 2 reactions (+1/-1) | 24 replies (last August 6)
Post Link: : @OP+16hmYxcS


Spans and Layers
When you see the term spans and layers in communication, that is code for eliminating management. If you are a manager and you lose your direct reports - you are in trouble. If you are given more staff someone near you is in trouble. Stripping you of staff is another way to decrease your bonus. Managers are given more money than individual contributors during TCP.
December 21, 2018 by Anonymous | 880 views | no reactions | 1 reply (last December 20, 2018)
Post Link: : @OP+WJ0nJGC


Spans and Layers - just crunch the numbers to see the bloodbath that is about to come
For example, in my area there are 525 total employees of which there are 94 managers and 17 directors. If a manager needs 8 direct reports, you can see by the numbers that a lot of managers are going to be let go. Also, if you are a manager 8 layers down from the top, will they just let you go, since Chuckles wants 7 layers total? Also, hearing they are not making managers into individual contributors, because Chuckles thinks there are too many of them already too:(
September 27 2020 by Anonymous | 3707 views | 7 reactions (+7/-0) | 9 replies (last September 29)
Post Link: : @OP+179cRBtB


FCRM Spans and Layers a week ago
So obviously spans and layers started silently a week ago in FCRM, people shuffled around to fill span gaps for managers they want to keep. FTEs moved and cross trained with other teams and some were loaned to other teams for an undefined period of time. Work packages reshuffled as well. I guess in preparation for cuts? Maybe?
September 4 2020 by Anonymous | 2764 views | 4 reactions (+4/-0) | 7 replies (last September 5)
Post Link: : @OP+16MzIJOA


How many management layers are they shooting for?
Anyone here working on the spans and layers initiative? BNY Mellon started with 11 management layers and under Charlie, they cut 2 to 3 layers across the company as a result of their spans and layers review. In compliance, Wells Fargo just cut the Deputy Chief Compliance Layer on Friday (cutting the management layers from 8 to 7), and the interim Chief Compliance Officer said they were still performing analysis to determine if they could cut another layer of management. Anyone know what additional management layer they are looking to cut in Compliance? If they do cut another layer, there would be 6 management layers. Thanks and appreciate your incite.
October 13 2020 by Anonymous | 3459 views | 2 reactions (+1/-1) | 9 replies (last October 14)
Post Link: : @OP+17pi6uaK


9/22 is Spans and Layers Lay-off date for Risk and Compliance
September 16 2020 by Anonymous | 5293 views | 41 reactions (+32/-9) | 16 replies (last September 17)
Post Link: : @OP+16Yh0Itt

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Post ID: @dwh+19Lh2zSK

I can tell you that it is very inconsistent across the company. We were just told last week that spans/layers would not be hittIng us anytime soon in our part of risk, if at all. The team I am on has less than 5 reporting to a manager. And that person’s manager less than 5 directs.

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Post ID: @agw+19Lh2zSK

I'd heard many rumors of 10:1, and with spans and layers implemented in my group this week I can tell you that every manager has at least 7 directs, and one has 10.

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Post ID: @qly+19Lh2zSK

I would like to know specifics on this also. Even if they did go to 10, there would likely be many many exceptions. It's not like they would have a site (branch, whatever) with no manager just because there's only 9 directs there. But mid-management may have to justify every exception, that wouldn't be surprising. Honestly as much grief as they get from IC, mid-management spends a lot of their time justifying maintaining the head count they have. If not for their efforts, there would almost certainly have been even more downsizing.

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Post ID: @woa+19Lh2zSK

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