Any ideas on when we might hear about next voluntary round of layoffs?
Last time voluntary severance packages were offered by AT&T I made a mistake of passing on it. I have regretted it ever since.
Next time it is offered (if I am lucky enough that it actually happens) I will not make the same mistake.
In response, I took the volunteer offer (Management Volunteer Offer, MVO) and had no regrets on going out of my own terms (was retirement eligible). Later when the non-volunteer / surplus hit I apparently saved someone else from getting hit as my leaving counted towards the reduction in head count. However, later during the force reduction, a peer had indicated they had no issues if they too were surplused and was actually granted their request and layed off with severance as well. So letting management know informally of your interest does not go unnoticed, provided they can justify it.
“If they don't offer a voluntary, I've been told by a couple of people I trust that if you make it known you'd be willing to go when it becomes clear a layoff is coming, they will usually accomodate (even if a voluntary option is not offered).”
This happened to me in November. No one was at risk at the time so I was surprised. Unsurprisingly, I took it!
If they don't offer a voluntary, I've been told by a couple of people I trust that if you make it known you'd be willing to go when it becomes clear a layoff is coming, they will usually accomodate (even if a voluntary option is not offered). Either way you get the severance. Involuntary is actually better because you get paid for some extra time to look for another internal job and you're eligible to collect unemployment payments if you want to do that. The last thing ATT will want to do is send any kind of signal to Wall Street that they're having any trouble paying their massive debt, which is how an announcement of a large layoff might be construed. Instead they'll continue doing rolling org specific layoffs throughout the year that they can keep quiet. Timing is impossible to predict, but you can be sure you will get your chance to go in 2019.
Why would they do that with the current disastrous financials? Much Easier to layoff, or firing people.