Our manager told us that the possibility of getting an exception for those of us who don’t live near hubs is virtually nil and admitted that most, if not all, of us will likely be told by the fall to move or take a separation package. If there are exceptions, they will be reserved for only the best of the best, and with the revamped performance evaluation model, how many of those are there these days (on paper)? I was told by multiple managers that I was one of the best but still got a “meets” because their hands were tied due to the BS system the C-Suite put in place this year. Also, senior leadership has addressed the “talent loss” topic by saying that the risk is understood, but they are confident that replacement talent can be found in hub cities. They see the potential benefits of consolidation and standardization as outweighing the need to retain, rather than replace, talent.
The party’s over, folks. Unless you’re confident that your group will be granted exceptions, you’d better prepare now. As for me, I’ll take the package and enjoy the time off while I focus on choosing my next adventure.