Thread regarding SAS Institute layoffs

FUD and its effects on employee morale

Fear, uncertainty, and doubt about the future of the company is having visible and palpable effects on morale. It might not be obvious to upper management but the lack of information regarding the IPO/sale is a huge drain on energy and motivation. More and more, the collective angst and depression is discussed openly. And, no, the AMA didn’t help.

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| 5869 views | | 71 replies (last July 19, 2024) | Reply
Post ID: @OP+1tokM4EP

71 replies (most recent on top)

@5ybg+1tokM4EP

"I judge people on what they can do not based on how they dress."

Unless someone else is dressing these people, how they choose to dress is part of what they can choose to do. I too find walking barefoot around an office to be very unprofessional. In fact, a long time ago, our director prohibited us from wearing shorts to work because we were all on the first floor and were the first people that visitors would see when entering the building. That rule disappeared when we were moved to R.

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Post ID: @5ics+1tokM4EP

The "snacks" conversation is like the pre-COVID chocolate teddy graham drama all over again. With all that's going on at SAS, it's seems a relatively unimportant thing to focus on. Maybe as an example of belt-tightening, is all.

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Post ID: @4hds+1tokM4EP

the company is falling apart and people are blathering about break room snacks? seriously?

this is why everything is spiraling. severely misplaced priorities.

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Post ID: @4lnz+1tokM4EP

This thread is ki-ling my employee morale more than any FUD could.

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Post ID: @4hem+1tokM4EP

SAS provides spoons by the jars that people can use to get bulk snacks out of the jars so no one should be using bare hands in the jar. Before Covid, bulk snacks were good enough and they should also be good enough now if people follow the rules and common sense. For those that are germophobic, don't eat them out of public jars (or buffets). Those snacks are not healthy anyway. For those that are not afraid and need the sugar hit, just let them eat snacks.

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Post ID: @4azu+1tokM4EP

Why are we discussing “big ideas” on snacks?

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Post ID: @4waa+1tokM4EP

Individually wrapped snacks were provided during the pandemic because they did not want anyone to stick bare hand in the jar spreading virus around. It's 2024 and Covid-19 pandemic is not as dire now and most people have had vaccines already so SAS can just go back to bulk snacks. They don't have to get rid of the snacks altogether. If they get rid of all snacks that means they want to cut costs even more and it does not look good for SAS. Other tech companies provide free snacks all day (and some even provide free breakfast, lunch, and dinner also). They copied cat SAS in providing snacks because that was one of the nice perks that attract people to work at SAS.

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Post ID: @3mug+1tokM4EP

Maybe they've got a buyer lined up? :-)

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Post ID: @3rgm+1tokM4EP

They discussed what snacks will be kept in the break areas for FY 2025. Individually wrapped Fig Newtons, Peanut M&M's, and jars of Peanut Butter are out -- too expensive. Now folks have to bring their own snacks.

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Post ID: @3ots+1tokM4EP

Yes there was a meeting today for anyone VP or above but I have heard no news about what was discussed.

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Post ID: @3nsx+1tokM4EP

@3jjy+1tokM4EP

If we ask them a bunch of questions, then they become grilled cheeses.

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Post ID: @3vim+1tokM4EP

@3jjy+1tokM4EP A meeting you say. Weird.

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Post ID: @3syt+1tokM4EP

Figured there would be layoffs or possibly VRBP today since the big cheeses are meeting for several hours on campus this morning. Please post here if you hear of anything specific. Lord knows no one will communicate anything.

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Post ID: @3jjy+1tokM4EP

@2iwa+1tokM4EP

Do you have specific information to share, or are you just spreading a rumor?

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Post ID: @3byg+1tokM4EP

Instructor - at SAS for over 20 years and a principal. The rest of the team is job hunting as morale is rock bottom and uncertainty sky high.

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Post ID: @3mep+1tokM4EP

“I know of one in EDU”

Instructor, or support staff?

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Post ID: @3arb+1tokM4EP

I don't have to imagine what a sad life a troll has. I simply look in the mirror and see it for myself.

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Post ID: @2ged+1tokM4EP

I know of one in EDU

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Post ID: @2rak+1tokM4EP

What layoffs today?

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Post ID: @2wdd+1tokM4EP

More layoffs today too. It’s incredibly unsettling.

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Post ID: @2iwa+1tokM4EP

I feel like a third class passenger on the Titanic when they realized the gates that would allow them to get up to the boat decks were padlocked.

When will this behemoth slip beneath the waves? Only time will tell.

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Post ID: @2uhs+1tokM4EP

@1mjq+1tokM4EP

That quoted post is simply a statement of fact.

Those who read your comments can make a decision about who is the condescending one.

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Post ID: @2oxs+1tokM4EP

@2jte+1tokM4EP the world we have created where someone considers anyone who doesn’t agree with them trolls.

Yeah I guess this was a troll also…

Imagine what a sad life when someone can’t handle someone thinking differently than them. Imagine what a sad life when someone considers upvotes/downvotes from anonymous sources as an indicator of truth.

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Post ID: @2cdy+1tokM4EP

@1mjq+1tokM4EP

"That one dude..."

There's more than one. They're trolls, and they like the attention. The community consistently downvotes their posts, but I think even that feeds their need for attention. Imagine what a sad life that must be, and whatever you imagine probably won't be far from the truth.

Don't feed the trolls. Don't take the bait.

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Post ID: @2jte+1tokM4EP

@1mjq+1tokM4EP Read your post(s) and then look up the word condescending in the dictionary.

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Post ID: @2nwn+1tokM4EP

That one dude is so condescending. But that's SAS -- full of condescending, all-knowing types.

"I haven't heard of anything, so your feelings are just theatrics (to me). I know all, see all, and sense all. I am in tune with the Universe. My colleagues are acting normally, but since I'm so powerful in my abilities, I can read their minds; They have internal peace. I know it, and feel it deep in my heart as I am all-powerful."

Give us all a break.

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Post ID: @1mjq+1tokM4EP

Lack of communication about pretty much everything leaves a vacuum that is filled by speculation and gossip. That's always been true and it will always be true.

To the people who still believe there will be an IPO, please do pull your heads out of your posteriors. It will never happen. Never, not ever. To successfully IPO, investors would need to believe the money they spend on shares will eventually be worth more.

There are zero indications currently that $1 invested in this company will ever be worth more than $1. It looks like the opposite - there is nothing on the horizon that indicates any potential for revenue growth. Only losses. When yoy have to lay people off just to break even that's bad.

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Post ID: @1ncw+1tokM4EP

"I have neither observed nor heard of any "drain on energy and motivation ...collective angst and depression" among my colleagues whatsoever, so I find the OP's claim to be theatrical. I am open to hearing specific data to the contrary."

For what it's worth, while I'm no where near a state of depression, I definitely feel somewhat anxious about my future at SAS. And the few people I've discussed it with have expressed similar sentiments.

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Post ID: @1uix+1tokM4EP

Hearing nothing from management might mean they finally realize that action matters more than words. So where is the action? Viya was the big bet on the future. The sounds of the Viya sizzle have faded away. The Viya steak? No one is eating it.

The reason no one hears from the employees? Maybe the employees have figured out that silence is their best coping plan. Speaking works only when there is listening.

Good luck to all. And I mean all, which includes JG and everyone who ultimately reports to him.

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Post ID: @mms+1tokM4EP

@OP+1tokM4EP

I have neither observed nor heard of any "drain on energy and motivation ...collective angst and depression" among my colleagues whatsoever, so I find the OP's claim to be theatrical. I am open to hearing specific data to the contrary.

I have also heard nothing from management about any kind of a Plan B in the event that there is no IPO (there are a number of points of possible failure).

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Post ID: @rwj+1tokM4EP

I think it's not only the lack of information regarding the IPO (and the what-I-suspect-is-a-disingenuous insistence that the company is not for sale). For me, it's more the lack of any truly rationale plan for the future that is sowing fear and uncertainty.

I've not heard a single priority or plan that will do anything meaningful to bring in new revenue. To hear BH claim that SAS is an AI company now is scary because ... it's not. I hope I'm wrong.

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Post ID: @orl+1tokM4EP

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