Thread regarding IBM layoffs

Re: tracking wifi, the default DHCP lease time is 24 hours and I've never seen it set to less than 8 hours except in a public space like a cafe. Connect to the network and then go home, you're good. They're not going to analyze network traffic to see exactly when you left.

Surprised to see from the email that they are only checking badging. I had heard they would also see how long your laptop is connected to the office network. So, are they also going to make sure people spend a full 8 hours in the office?

You can bet not all Execs and Managers will be affected. The ones that are part of the right circles will be exempted. It is never fair at IBM!

Soon, we will see lines outside IBM offices, and people fighting to get a desk… lol! Can’t wait to see that!

This is what you can call IBM great innovation!

I go in the morning and go back home at lunch time.. I am pretty certain, IBM is full of sh-t about tracking people. Not to mention there are not enough space in most IBM offices.

This strategy has an interesting possibility. If the management team is impacted by 50%, that means the remaining management team has to double up on their workload. Essentially what a lot of past posters have been advocating for. Perhaps IBM is pursuing the year of efficiency, but just going at it by a different mechanism. Certainly the bean counters have a very good idea of who the impacted folks are going to be, and what the “take” rate is going to be for the relocation. Not pretty, but certainly takes the hard choices that higher managers have to make out of their hands and puts it into Google mileage measurements.

IBM Consulting will hit everyone else soon enough ...

Too many managers at IBM anyway… may be that will solve the issue when they leave! Good riddance…

So, for IBM Consulting it is only the Execs and Managers? Lucky you… the rest of the company, it is everybody!

Realistically, I would think that the appropriate strategy would be to find another job somewhere else while you still have time, and not even bother to go to the required location. This intention of IBM has been known for decades, so the fact that they are trying to do it now should not be a surprise to anyone.

Let's say that you don't go to the office as ordered. The terms of your exit will be determined by the managers in your chain of command. They can boot you out the door quickly, slow-walk your leaving, or put things to a halt per business requirements...same as always.

It's easy to dictate where someone works, until that someone is a critical resource. If you're a critical resource, then it doesn't matter what the trendy workplace idea of the day is...you'll work where you best serve the business (and yourself) and that's that. It's between you and your management chain.

I have an office close by, but have never been. Is there a certain amount of time I would have to stay in the office? I was thinking go in the morning and go home at lunch and work the rest of the day at home.

When IBM tried this in the past, the attrition rate was above 80%. Almost everyone said no thanks and retired instead

https://www.theregister.com/2017/02/09/ibm_workfromhome_cull_companywide/

NOTE this was a consolidation to 6 offices around the USA The current offer will be to more offices, so the attrition rate may be less, but I could easily see a 1/2ing of the manager staff if IBM sticks to their g-ns. The real question will be how many current managers are retirement eligible and willing to uproot their lifestyle. 7% mortgages will certainly play into that decision. I expect more to leave IBM vs relocating

Does this also apply to managers in Canada?

1. Execs and People Managers.....for now. Coming to everyone else, likely by end of Q1.

2. "There's no office in my state or only 10 seats in the office but 300 people tagged to it, etc." That's the point. They know they can't have 300 people show up to one of these little hole in the wall "offices". They know not everyone is going to relocate to NYC. That achieves exactly what they want with this initiative.

So - what is the incentive to remain a people manager in consulting if you can do the same job and not have anyone reporting to you? Just ask not to have people reporting to you!

You will be next in line ... so all you are doing is preventing the inevitable ... and I would guess that non-managers and B10 and below will not get any relocation package ... so it is even a worse situation...

So the only IBM facility in FL (Coral Gables) has about 36 mobility desks (not offices, but desks). ALL FL based Mgrs thru Execs should request the relocation pkg., then pool the funds to buy a trap-house/crash pad to stay at when in town. Everyone can show up Monday for work and invite the local & National Media, Clients, Labor attorneys, Bldg. landlord , Fire Marshall, etc... , to witness this "collective focus and alignment on innovation, speed, and execution" to demonstrate how IBM Wins in the Marketplace :)

So - what is the incentive to remain a people manager in consulting if you can do the same job and not have anyone reporting to you? Just ask not to have people reporting to you!

Email is a bit harsh! Wow Definitely will cause people to leave the company, even some of the most highly talented.

@yog+1qByqQhE yeah, this is also includes consulting, which is new.

Is this different from previous emails because it includes people who live more than 50 miles away?

Definitely a workforce reduction. There’s no way any relocation package can come close to the cost incurred by a move.

Maybe they use the funds in the RBA to give 4% mortgages HA.

Some thoughts...given the largely mobile nature of IBM's workforce, this move is clearly one of workforce reduction rather than workforce relocation. IBM doesn't have the internal real estate, they haven't had it for a very long time, and the internal real estate that they do have is not all that suitable for the collaboration that they claim to seek. (I was not in the real estate department, but when I was there IBM's non-plant real estate was largely set up for anonymous remote-desk arrangements.)

So, if you are one of the selected employees...you can either work at a shrinking plant site (space is being reduced all the time as IBM shrinks), or you can work at an office of some IBM-purchased business (ditto), or you can work at an IBM sales office in some city (sit at a desk all day with a phone and network connection, after putting on business-ready attire, driving a long commute and paying for parking).

It is illogical to think that this could ever work for anything except forcing employees to quit without paying benefits or severance. That's probably the point, but it speaks poorly about both the company's ethics and its management abilities.

The email:
IBM Consulting Executives and People Managers,

I am writing to share the next step in IBM’s return to office policy in the United States. Effective immediately, IBM requires all IBM executives and people managers based in the U.S. to work from a client office location or an IBM office at least three days each week. For the avoidance of doubt, this is a company-wide policy not limited to Consulting.

Winning in the marketplace demands our collective focus and alignment on innovation, speed, and execution. We believe alignment includes face-to-face interaction as it drives the engagement, productivity, and the culture we need to bring world-class client services and products to market. This is why IBM supports a hybrid model of working that includes time together in-person in the office with our clients, colleagues, and partners—as well as the flexibility to work remotely some of the time.

This policy applies to all U.S. executives and people managers, regardless of current work location status. There are limited exceptions to the policy, consistent with applicable law — such as an IBMer’s personal medical accommodations or military service requirements. Those who joined IBM through an acquisition are exempted from this policy for two years from the date they transferred employment into IBM, and in the interim should continue to follow the workplace requirements of their integration plan.

Those who are currently not consistently working at a client site or an IBM office, regardless of workplace indicator, must either:
• immediately begin working from a client location or an IBM office —at least three days each week; or
• qualify for one of the limited exceptions listed above; or
• agree to relocate, by August 1, 2024, to access an IBM U.S. location; or
• secure a role outside of IBM Consulting that’s approved to be performed remotely; or
• separate from IBM.
Executives and people managers who will be required to relocate will be notified by the end of January 2024, and they will have a 30-day period to make a decision. In most cases, IBM will offer a standard moving and relocation package, provided you did not previously move locations without manager approval.

Please note that we will use IBM badge access data — beginning tomorrow — to assess individual presence at our worksites. This data will be shared with upline managers, and other appropriate IBM functions such as Global Real Estate and Human Resources, to enable actions to support compliance with return to office directives.

More information about this policy can be found in these FAQs.

I am confident that returning to the office will benefit us as individuals and empower us to better support our clients, our business and our people.

Another short-sighted decision by senior management. Does anyone really think they looked at all the managers this would actually affect? It would appear not.

The FAQs also state that in most cases separated managers will receive a separation package. Anyone have any idea on what that may look like?

Any guess when this will expand to the non-exec population?

Also, does anyone know what the "standard relocation package" that they're offering for 50+ miles employees looks like?

Does this impact the sales and technical sales teams in the global markets or is this only for the software development, product management, product support, and marketing teams. Sales and technical sales teams for the past 25+ years were also categorized as mobile workers.

The vast majority will be impacted. After all the office closures of the last 5+ years there aren't anywhere near enough seats for even a fraction of these people to return to. But that's probably the point.

Does anyone have an idea of how many managers will be impacted by this policy change? Currently every manager I interact with is operating out of their home office, so I suspect it’s going to be larger than most folks think.

Why would anyone be required to relocate if they are less than 50 miles from an office?

For the person inquiring about the 50+ miles from an office, here's the official FAQ response:

"If you are required to relocate and are currently more than 50 miles from an IBM office, then you will be required to come to the office three days each week no later than August 1, 2024. If you are required to relocate and are currently less than 50 miles from an IBM office, you will be required to come to the office three days each week effective immediately."

Everyone remote is required to relocate unless medically exempt/military

No mention of "within 50 miles from an office" like prior emails, so assume this means forced relocation for anyone over 50 miles away.

This is phase 3 of 4 with phase 4 being all employees. Right now this applies to Execs and People Managers. But rest assured, everyone in IBM will face in office mandates in the near future. Plan accordingly...

All Execs and People Managers
At least 3 days/wk in office effective immediately
Will be badge tracked and reported starting tomorrow
Anyone too far from an office will get a relocation offer by end of Jan, have 30 days to accept, and relocation must be complete by Aug 1
Only exceptions are medical or military service, people from acquisitions will be effective 2 yrs from ToE

Post the email text, already!

can confirm ...

It is going to happen or you will be a forwarded email.
Management