Thread regarding AT&T layoffs

What you say is true, at a company that understands technology. The technology our farms of offshore coders came up with, ECOMP, is completely fed by templates sourced from Excel spreadsheets. Even our "new" tech is 15 years behind.

The elephant in the room is that 60-70% of IT jobs will be automated over the next 5-7yrs...

It's sad but, it's true.

Truing algorithms and AI can run closed loop operations over your running infrastructure and evacuate applications to less used hardware etc. etc.... It's going to happen so, the move to CZs is just the beginning of making specialized groups of specialists that both write and run this new software.

So, the question of, is T laying off the right people? Well, if you're not a software engineer or, if you're not training hard to be in that specialized group if you're in IT then, you're the right person to be on the list.

I hate to say it that way but, it is the truth.

A 2nd question would be: Can T do it in 5-7yrs? I have no idea but, I do believe this is their thinking in these layoffs being as severe as they are.

Welcome to the brave new world... ( May God help us )

I'm an L2 ( I guess used to be called M2 ) Principal Manager in an Ops group. Personally, I think getting the right people is all about competent managers.

For example, we've been told to, "Pivot" to the new way of things but, how many have been told how to or, been put on a path to do so? What do I pivot to? What new job role do I pivot into? How do I get there? Will I be coached into one of these new billets?

I've got my own plan; however, even in my own group.... most of the group has made no effort.... I fault both the managers and the employees that don't care enough to get off their butts and improve their skills to move to the new job billets.

I know my place in the company may not resemble yours but, this is what it looks like from my place.

Most of this c-ap is wrong on it's face and, it's frustrating..... I've been lucky and, I've kept my skill set up. So, if it's my time to go because I didn't go into the office enough last year, so be it.... the market looks pretty good right now..... even though, I'd prefer not to go.

What really upsets me is that, from what I understand, I'm expecting and "extrordinary" this year and, that may not make a hill of beans for this layoff and what that will do for morale can not be overstated.

Fat floats!

layoff choice is not up to anything more than a litigation avoidance HR dept.

Pretty certain salary and location far outweigh skill set. Actually, in my group this is true. You are merely a cell on a spreadsheet, they run their metric and toss out the folks whose names appear on the list. Quite simple mates.

Pretty certain salary and location far outweigh skill set. Actually, in my group this is true. You are merely a cell on a spreadsheet, they run their metric and toss out the folks whose names appear on the list.

We have an aweful lot of admins who no longer have anything to do. I have never met one I don’t like, but we could do with half as many.

Bash each other some more you damn hyena’s

What trained project management org are you referring to? Hopefully not the useless National PMO. They screw up more than any other org I know, Finance being a very close second. I agree it seems this company has many with project manager titles but I see same with sr business manager and other titles that are just that, titles to justify a salary. Now it’s all catching up so to those who have been milking the cow, I think your time is coming to an end soon.

@onj Spot on. It's like they are trying to be equitable and spread the pain around, yet things are ripe for some consolidation/ elimination. I.E. Project Management...there are so damn many people in that title and most of them just wound up with it somewhere along the way. Most have no formal training in project management and hold no certification. Start with them. Let the trained PM organizations do the project management, not the guy in C&E that they didn't know what to do with 8 years ago when his title changed to "SENIOR-TECH PROJ/PROG MGMT" that somehow seems to keep holding on and brings no value. (Now let the bashing of project managers begin, as it seems to be a thing hereon this board).

@onj- I couldn’t agree more!

I sometimes wonder why the don’t look at redundant functions across orgs and eliminate entires orgs instead of allocating percentages, which always seems to roll down to x number under each mgr.

Perhaps it was that way in the past. However the last 3 years has been a bloodbath for good people from my perspective.

If they selected people by how often they work from home and where they are located, they will not be getting rid of the right people. In fact, they will be doing the complete opposite. This company and how it operates has become a joke!

I’ve been through these surpluses for 7-8 years. In my area they did a good job of surplusing the lower level performers. Despite choosing the right folks to help move

the frequency of the surpluses and the environment it creates is toxic and stressful.

It is a toxic corporate culture ~ because ~ they never get rid of the right people.

Ha...these excel/email grifters wonder why they're so easily disposable. Make sure you go out with a nostalgic bang...grab that spreadsheet, pull up those emails, jump on those video conference calls and circle-jerk that nihilistic/narcissistic sympathy all over yourselves on the way out!!

@tws hes talking about the mgmt fat u company man union hater

Yea right. Especially in the union positions. The handful of guys who are on dB for months at a time or who somehow get the whole winter off will survive. The couple of guys who abuse Fmla and magically are afflicted on c-appy weather days or days they are bulked dtv work will make it. The guys who sit on work at the end of the day even tho we still have 30 jobs in the pool at 5 o’clock will make it too. And the second the company tries the same Fmla abusing steward will throw a fit and try to organize a grievance strike until the bottom guys are pushed out.

If this dogshit union focused more on protecting work and less on protecting subpar workers we would be a lot better off.