Thread regarding Cisco Systems Inc. layoffs

The secret truth of Cisco C-levels is that Cisco lost the ability to hire the best long ago. Chuck just manages the slow but steady downward spiral he initiated by never ever developing a vision and just running the company like an entry level accountant. His presentation skills at Cisco Live keynotes have never inspired a single customer, they are an overt admission the emperor wears no clothes.

Most of the C-levels these days are there because they were ousted elsewhere and have no other choices, so they'll milk it and will fill their pockets because this is their last stop before no one ever hires them again in any thriving company. Look at the companies most departing SVPs go to - they are a few notches below.

Yes, customers.

And over a career, many managers.

It seems you completely missed the point of the previous poster: when you’re the customer are you always overly nice as well as overly tolerant or are you a bit more picky about how you spend your resources? If it’s the former you’re breaking capitalism and not for the good.

"always depend on the mood of your customers"

Yes, customers. Plural. Dozens, hundreds, thousands, or in the case of Facebook billions. Contrast this with one boss when you're an employee. Your relation with your boss turns sour? You're out. Nothing unique to Cisco here. Too many folks posting here seem to think it's going to be different elsewhere. It just won't. Ask Twitter's top-10% takent.

As long as you're an employee, your destiny will always depend on the mood of your boss.

As long as you own a company your destiny will always depend on the mood of your customers.

When you're wearing your customer hat, if a doctor, dentist, plumber, electrician, etc... doesn't do the job to your expectations do you keep hiring them forever or do you look for better alternatives? For the other side of that coin, are your expectations always reasonable?

" It was appalling how someone from the ELT could be so out of touch"

They are psychopaths, they don't think like normal people and don't care either.

Consider them vampires. Eventually they destroy companies.

I made Chairman’s Club, was promoted to a leadership role on SW team and within 18 months, they ki-led our entire team despite our great results - all to save a buck.

For me, cashing out after 10+ years was great however, I was one of the lucky ones. Others that are young in their careers and with little time at Cisco were left panicking as they had little to no severance in their exit package. Those in their mid-40s who still needed to work were quite frankly, treated like trash by HR.

The Check-in calls are always previewed by the leaders to present feedback. We had to tell Fran to lose the “Great Place to Work” balloons that were on camera behind her because she was announcing the 4,100 layoffs the next day. It was appalling how someone from the ELT could be so out of touch - especially given her role in the company. On another preview call, when discussing the new bonus program, some of the leaders raised concerns about how the change would negatively affect the higher grade positions. Chuck wasn’t pleased and said, “Look, I am a math major alright.” Several comment in the chat (leadership call only) said, “Then do the math Chuck.” and “I think that you forgot to carry the 1.” Chuck became quite agitated and told us to lead and not to question the company’s motives.

My package was okay and after a few missteps by HR and some assertive calls from myself, I was able to increase it quite substantially. In the end, I was very happy and consider myself fortunate. It was quite a bit better than the early retirement offer I was presented in 2020.

They give you a 6 digit employee number when you are first hired. Memorize it because I guarantee you that HR knows it and as soon as you make too much at Cisco, you will be shown the door.

As long as you're an employee, your destiny will always depend on the mood of your boss. Cisco or not, it doesn't matter. One bad boss, one bad relation, one poor managerial decision (think Musk) is all it takes. I am baffled at how many employees refuse to accept how fragile they are.

From the OP:

"Good people were impacted just to save costs."

If you think this is the case for only the last LR, it is time for you to go. That statement pretty much says that prior to the last LR, all those who were impacted were not "Good people" which I will go out on a limb here assume you meant good employees.

That was five years ago. Loved the Cisco of the 2000s. 2012 to 2017 was a world of worry about being let go once or twice a year during layoff cycles.

It's like Response Bot is talking to OP Bot. If you were at Cisco from the two thousand aughts you'd be talking about periods of layoffs, sometimes as often as quarterly, starting with the 2001 layoff and the whole 2008 economic collapse would be foremost in your mind as the worst time for layoffs.

I'd rather leave than live in fear my next increase or promo will put me on the list.

If this were true your post would be about how you already left Cisco in protest. People have been making the same claims for more than two decades since the 2001 layoff and yet a significant number of you still left with a layoff notice in hand.

Amazon drives the majority of their employees out by the two year mark before the bulk of their options vest. Why don't you try them and let us know how much better that was? The rest of FAANG aren't much better.

Many insiders believe Chuck's tenure at Cisco is close to the end now that he moved to Atlanta
The next CEO will be hired to reduce employee count by half to keep Cisco profitable with decades of declining revenues ahead

The above is exactly what happened to me five years ago.

Got promoted, then six months later got the package.

That was five years ago. Loved the Cisco of the 2000s. 2012 to 2017 was a world of worry about being let go once or twice a year during layoff cycles.

I was asked to come back a year or so ago. No amount of money is worth existing in that mindset again.

Getting let go was one of the best things that ever happened to me.