Thread regarding T-Mobile layoffs

As a vendor to TMO, what I saw from an objective viewpoint, this was cold and illogical. Several good people that actually went above and beyond are now gone while many sub par performers in same org still are there.

The impact to morale is also very detrimental. None of my TMO POC are feeling safe and few have a give all I got attitude in the wake of this.

I have been the lay off victim and messenger, for large OEM like Nortel and Ericsson down to vendors to a carrier and as a carrier operator employee/manager. I have seen the best way possible to handle this and the worst way. This ranks near the bottom.

I saw this on the horizon and declined an offer to convert to an FTE at TMO. Had the timing wrong, but the outcome correct.

For those stating managed services model is the future, you are likely correct. (lack of) Leadership from Sprint want a do over in managed services and OEM like Nokia and E/// have the ears of Executive (lack of)Leadership at TMO. And let’s be honest, many in TMO rank and file have allowed that poison seed to take hold and grow into the poisonous vine making its growth known here today.

I pray for all those affected and hope you realize though this is hard, in the end, not a place you wanted to be really. In todays market, if you are worth your salt you will find better elsewhere quickly.

"Been through these on both sides over my 38 years. Never seen one that doesn't feel cold to the recipient."

Layoffs are never easy, but I've seen more compassionate layoffs. True, the impacted people will always be hurt, but in this case, I saw people walk away shell-shocked, unable to comprehend, feeling betrayed. If compared to divorce, there are all sorts of ways a divorce can go down, from mutual agreement, where both parties admit that the marriage just wasn't meant to be and go their separate ways, to a complete shock when one partner finds the other not to be the person they thought them to be. This layoff is like that latter.

Been through these on both sides over my 38 years. Never seen one that doesn't feel cold to the recipient.

"and I can guarantee to you that whatever political axe you are looking to grind here"

I assure you, there is no political axe here. This is an opinion board, and the point of my post is that this was indeed an uncaring layoff that was not communicated in any way shape or form to the employees of the magnitude, nor did mgmt even seek to place anyone. This layoff smacks of trimming the fat to the bone, which particularly grinds anyone who listened to the "WE JUST HAD THE BEST. QUARTER, EVER!" nonsense. The woke comment is to illustrate the hypocrisy of a common who promotes themselves as "caring". Corporate bs, and I feel sorry for anyone who buys it.

"Go have a stroke"

Retaliating with attacks is always the sign of a small mind.

Oh yeah Rick, because senior management is usually so transparent about their motivations. Uh huh. And wtf are you even talking about, "company who frames themselves as woke"? Nobody who isn't watching OAN 8 hours a day (instead of, you know, actually working) even knows or cares what "woke" means, and I can guarantee to you that whatever political axe you are looking to grind here, my newly former multinational telecom employer dgaf and never did, but I'm happier if you got all wound up in the process. Go have a stroke and enjoy the tens of thousands of work-free ka-chings you'll be banking through November when you get your big payoff, assuming you were even part of yesterday's layoff and not just trolling.

I agree with the Ulf comment. I do not trust him. Also look at leadership - Cano is also orchestrating how things were at Sprint - he is essentially whispering in Seiverts ear consultant to CEO.

Ulf is a former Ericsson exec and was brought in to form RNEO and transition all engineering organizations to the managed service model -just like many other European wireless network operators

By comparison, the RIFs following the MetroPCS acquisition were well managed and perceived to be fair by most engineers. Over a period of months, with many more in planning, Corp organized the new engineering business requirements and published all new positions nationally, offered incentives and relo packages with the new roles, and communicated warnings of a impending RIF following a cutoff date. The layoffs at the end were timed and expected by all who didn’t want to apply to the new positions and seemingly used only as a last resort. Much different than this week. May be the previous method was too costly in time or money to be used again. Very unfortunate for our company and perhaps indicative of how different leadership is now. We are definitely a different company culture today. Next big news: this RIF is intentional so cost-conscious contract engineering services can take over sooner. The network we have built or assembled from others is seen by the C Suite and Board as a managed commodity now.