Lots of IT people cut in Columbus
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@2Rvds+1qB6FXi3 - Keystrokes and active work analytics. No more spending some days keeping Teams from going Away.
Anybody have info on the new monitoring software if it does exist? Is it similar to what happened at Wells Fargo where they are monitoring keystrokes/mouse movement etc.? Or is it still the same as before where they just track obvious stuff like internet history and emails?
Situation/ conditions deteriorating. That’s a damned understatement 😆
Any word on more layoffs or severances? I was expecting something to happen.
Just wear a tin foil hat and you’ll be safe.
Wondering how the monitoring system knows if we are not working or waiting for our extremely slow systems to respond. Our systems and network weren't perfect before but, after 4 years of new management, they are not better!
In that case, it's over for me.
I believe the new software is for detecting people who aren’t actually working or afk a lot.
They've been monitoring people for years. The monitor/track Internet usage, site visits, you name it. Next time you log in, read the legal notice, it's not new. The only difference is Therace and her band of a hole managers are using it as a club now. It's always been there.
What's the monitoring software?
Now that the monitoring software has been deployed, I expect we will see continued reductions in the form of firings as people are detected. It will be a quick way to reduce headcount while not having to provide severance.
Honestly get out while you can guys. The writing is on the walls. Even if there are some improvements there are many companies where you will be more valued. I stayed but I have a family and the money wasn’t there for the severance to be worth it. But I’m looking every day to see if anything comes up. Good luck to everyone.
I for one could use a pay adjustment but I doubt that will happen. Most people got a 2-4% pay raise in April while inflation is still higher and is over 20% for 3 years but raises total 6-9% in the same period. Yup, Joe did that.
They can bump me up a bit on the pay that's what they can do.
It's a shame that new hires may not know what they are getting into when they come onboard. I hope things get better with Bill. He has to bring back the employee survey and ask everyone for an honest opinion of how their area is being managed. My suggestion, have it restricted to non-management staff. Leave the managers off of it so the numbers are s reflection of what is really going on. Some of the BUs will be fine, others not so much. After that, clean house.
They are going to hire people to fill a ton of these positions, and guess what? Their financial goal will not be met. So what will they do? More layoffs. There is almost 0% chance that the voluntary severance is going to have a major impact with the way it’s been handled. I’m hearing that financially they are not saving what they hoped.
Let the hiring start. HR will be busy getting rid of folks while at the same time hiring people to replace the ones let go and others. There are 107 open positions on AEP.com. Watch that number grow over the next month.
I’m hope you’re right, but it appears last post may be correct, unfortunately the company looks to be prepared for sale.
Who else believes Bill has been brought in to sell AEP to BHE based on his previous CEO positions. Warren said he could see BHE Holdings owning a number of electric companies. He also said BHE was one of the best run sections in BH so if they did have their sights on AEP I would think he would let them go for it
New CEO announced. See Columbus Dispatch for details. Hopefully this is the beginning of getting back to a good company after the house cleaning is done.
Good luck to the 900+ employees that were able to take the buy out. I'm sure the folks that were not allowed to take the buy out are really happy to be still here and working instead of having the option of leaving. So much for the company treating everyone the same.
Article today on AEP Now says more than 900 took it.
1/10, on a scale to 10, our current management and leaders. Sad thing is, it could be a good company and place of employment.
@2Apay+1qB6FXi3 you would have a bigger impact over on InDeed or Glassdoor with the same messages. Here, not so much. I view this as a place where people vent but it is a good gauge as to how bad it is at AEP right now.
Yes, they use Accenture. IT also had Capgemini for a lot of App dev and support. It would have made sense for CapGem to have gotten the outsourcing contract but that's where Sanjay T. put his finger on the scale and TCS got all of it. Look where that got him.
Did accounting go through a outsourcing too a few years back? It seems most upper management that implemented it are gone. I wonder how that is going….
This message board IS the new AEP employee survey.
When you don't deal with the problems under your own roof, they spill out on to the street.
If it takes publicly humiliating them on here to get change, then that is what needs to happen.
Morale is gone, period. Everyone that I've spoken to (minus managers above 1st line) are only here for a check. The vast majority would leave or retire if other personal commitments were not more pressing. Same with me, I would love to leave or retire if it was possible. Most people just can't pack up and leave a company when there are kids, wife, mortgage, car payments and medical bills that have to be paid. So you put up with the BS from Therace and just hope someone will finally hold HER accountable for the way things are. Right now it's just pure survival mode. How I hate this place and what it has become, it is not what I signed up for so many years ago. You expect to have down years but this is going on 4 years now with no end in sight. No wonder they got rid of the survey. I heard TR was so bad it's one reason why they didn't share comments like they have in the past. The other guy was right, she is a train wreck.
Reading all the posts about TCS are in general pretty accurate. I've had some interaction with them. Besides the fake and canned greetings that start out each chat, it's pretty obvious they have limited technical skills and are going off some script. If that is the case, give me the script, I'll just fix the issue myself. After the first round of chat you'll get a feeling they switch from wanting to fix the issue to just get the ticket closed, fixed or not. I'm just not impressed with the level of expertise with TCS. They come across as nice people but not very knowledgeable. I'll take an old tech that's been with the company for 20-30 years but there are fewer and fewer of them today. All in an effort to save a few dollars but costing huge amounts in productivity. I have a number of years to go, I hope it swings back but I think the damage is beyond repair.
This place is a dumpster fire. Filling a bunch of vacated positions it looks like too. I’ll laugh if the company continues to not perform how they want it to. All they care about is the money, so I hope they don’t get it. They need to care about their employees.
@2waks+1qB6FXi3
+9
Couldn't have said it better. I am counting the day she leaves or I do. I really hope I get to see her leave because I want to see the bullsh1t they try to pass on to everyone about how much AEP is going to miss her leadership. I really hope as others have said here, we get a local CIO and he calls all of back into the office. Can't get into the office, that's on you, find another job. That will get rid of her cronies. I'll be happy to get back to my 30 minute commute, it'll be worth it. Round 2, get rid of TCS as soon as possible. I have a little black book with names and numbers to call when I have issues, I hate doing it but I refuse to call the Service desk. I always pick up and help those that I call for support and I tell them to call me anytime if I can help. For TCS techs, put a ticket in and deal with you own id--ts. Sc--w you, I'm not helping a contractor, they can kiss my @ss. An FTE, I'll bend over backwards to help, TCS, FU.
This place is a dumpster fire. They wanted 750 buyouts but got over a thousand applications, and now they'll probably reject 250 just because they can. They've already shut out 60% of the company from participating, so this is just par for the course.
Therace Risch is a complete disaster. Maybe she was okay in retail, but here in utilities, she’s a train wreck. She’s clueless and her decisions are dragging morale through the mud and putting our electric grid at risk. No one respects her; she's seen as self-serving, incompetent, and completely out of her depth. The board should have canned her along with the CEO.
People are pi---d, unheard, and have zero faith in the future. It's a top-down dictatorship with no clue about the actual work being done. The atmosphere is toxic, and it’s only getting worse. They should be brushing up on unemployment law in Minnesota because this place is heading straight into a wall. The sooner Risch is gone, the better. Everyone’s just counting down the days until a new CIO can hopefully bring some sanity back.
Meetings are a joke; people are tuning out because it's all BS. The company’s a shadow of what it used to be, full of favoritism and rank incompetence. It's infuriating. You’ve got people who do nothing but talk in meetings, hogging bonuses they don’t deserve, while the real workers are ignored and demoralized.
When Risch and her cronies first walked in, they knew nothing about AEP, the people, or the work, but started making arbitrary decisions anyway. They didn't even try to understand the impact of their actions. The only thing Risch seems good at is sc--wing things up and then watching the chaos she caused. She’s like Nero, fiddling while Rome burns, except she probably doesn’t even know she’s the one who lit the match.
And let's talk about those sycophants who think Risch is the best thing to happen to the company. They must be high on something. The IT department is a mess; you’ve got turnover at TCS, with inexperienced techs fumbling around trying to fix issues they don’t understand. Morale is in the toilet, and it’s clear that upper management doesn’t give a damn. They think the only problem is that the employees haven’t bought into their grand vision. Newsflash: the problem is your vision su-ks.
Everyone knows the real issue. Management’s delusional belief that they’re the solution is laughable. First-line managers are stressed, workers are barely keeping the lights on, and meanwhile, Risch and her crew are oblivious to the chaos they’ve caused. The day Risch leaves will be the first step towards healing. Until then, it’s just a matter of watching this trainwreck unfold.
Energy Delivery must have been inspired by IT. Involuntary severance for the tenured leaders then bring in your friends with promotions! Save save save!!
Where did people hear the 600-750 number?
I am so much looking forward to July. The heat, the pressure it will put on mgmt to do better after losing another 600-750 folks. Are they up to the task? I wouldn't put money on it.
Our TCS is not that bright.
I’m so glad we’re in bed with this TCS…
https://m.economictimes.com/tech/information-tech/tcs-fined-rs-1600-crore-by-us-court-in-dxc-case/articleshow/111013835.cms
I wish we could pick the Directors! I have a few that are worthless x-retail hacks.
Involuntary layoffs happening today. Director level.
Lots of parties for the “retirees” and many promotions (management appointments). Congratulations to all ! Let’s see what big moves are made now to years end. Good luck all