For those who've been through this before, how often do companies like GM have mass layoffs like this?
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Every 6-8 years.
As a former contract scum at GM, layoffs were pretty much yearly, especially around Christmas in most recent years.
They had 10% layoffs last year in IT, and 15% layoffs now.
Maybe layoffs are rare in the plants because of union contracts, but it seems to be pretty continuous for salaried.
This is not common at any other company in automotive though! I have been at many suppliers, as has my husband, and our companies didn't pull this s____ in 2008 like GM did. We cut maybe 5% of the fat. Then when things got good again they didn't hire like crazy like GM did. Anybody that saw GM from 2008-2014 knew this was going to happen again.
as often as the leadership decides is needed
Automotive is cyclical. Usually about 8-10 years is a downturn with layoffs in all sectors and all companies.
Do not underestimate the HP effect that's outlined by user @cuf - that's one of the factors here, a big one indeed
This is very unusual.
Also, they are going after IT and Engineering which is also rare, both were growth areas.
The industry is going through a major shift and we are getting ready for what will transpire in next two to three decades - hence the shift.
This will s--- for everyone, not only GM - it just happens that GM is pulling the trigger first and it's brute. Germans are at it too but it's a slower, gradual and more gentle process.
I have no doubt in my mind that the Tesla model of organizing engineering, R&D, tech, digital etc. will become ubiquitous, will morph but will resemble what Tesla does. Not right now, but 10 years from now and that's what GM is trying to do. Hate Mary, hate her doublefaced style, hate BoD, but the fact is - there is a paradigm shift happening right now.
Ask someone from HP how many we endured under randy mott. Anywhere from 1-3 a year. Now, GM and HP are two different companies, but, they do/did have the same head of IT. And when your business model, historically, is to use layoffs to get cash, you do it, no matter the company.
When the company don't make money.
The last time this happened was about 10 yrs ago if memory serves me. They did a sweeping cut of the workforce. About 2/3 yrs later that had a huge hiring blitz. It comes and it goes unfortunately..... that's the nature of the auto business though.
Not very often if at all. Usually do to corporate turmoil or economic downturn.