HP was in business over 50 years without a layoff. It does require better management to suceed without layoffs though. It also means that the upper management needs to be in a pay scale that makes it realistic to afford keeping staff on instead of hire and fire. Bill and Dave were totally against this sort of management and I believe the losses in productivity, innovation and agility are directly attributable to the loss of "internal motivation" and loyalty to the company. I have seen it both ways and people that are allowed to feel vulnerable are way more creative and work harder than those beset by layoffs, in every situation.
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@ I'm not a happy camper
I agree that the founders would not be happy with the current situation. I am not that upset with HP mgmt any more bc I have come to realize that this is the new reality. The fact is that any US company will sell out its employees to 'be competitive in the market'. If a job can be performed 100% electronically, it is going to go oversees. Not a matter of if, but rather when. Our great country created all this world changing technology and unfortunately now nobody cares that this technology is enabling the migration of our jobs oversees. We are a dying middle class.
Can thank Carly for the corporate culture shift with transplanting mgmt with CPQ mgmt. Ever since HP has been circling the drain with smoke and mirrors. The mentality of taking 5-10% pay cut instead of layoff's is for the history books. HP's down fall will lie solely on poor mgmt.. not innovation/products/services etc..