From somebody who is (not voluntarily - acquisition based) new to AT&T - can people here please tell me if management here performs layoffs based on merit (or lack of) or is there some other criteria that is utilized?
I'm trying to decide just how worried I should be in the following months...
I am retire now and share my experience as an ex-AVP.
Typically layoff is cost driven. The process is done top down.
Each AVP will be given sometime a $ or a number .
Each AVP will ask his direct supports for projects that they can downsize and names.
Based on the importance of the project, the list will be decided. Unluckily, it has nothing to do with performance but more to do with impacts.
I am very thankful for ATT for the years.
However, I am so sick of the layoffs of the past 10 years and decide to layoff myself.
Given ATT needs to continue to cut cost, you all better to get your resume ready and keep your head looking around if you are young.
Many things drive employee layoffs. Business processes can be outsourced causing layoffs on that side of the house, and supporting technology can go with, or just be shut down. Other processes just go away or are combined (T and Warner have common HR processes). Abandoning spending on capital projects that don't have expected returns is another. Plus, T will simply squash mgmt. levels and spread responsibility.
More precisely, as well stated above: "Eenie meenie mighty moe."
It's a mystery to me. My manager says he has no say, if your name comes up on a list or not. I was a top performer and top contributor, got awards, and great reviews. I received my congrats on 21 years with the company e-mail in the morning, and then received my surplus notice an hour later. So who knows what they criteria they used. Could have be age -(over 50) or could have been telecommuter, (job did not require google office presence). I actually got along well with my manager and he took it harder than I did regarding the layoff.
Non-bargained employee here. Several AMs have told me that, if possible, they like to have one or two under-performed employees report to them (otherwise known as 'dead weight') so that when surplus happens, these employees are offered up. With that being said, there is less and less of these. Though, in last surplus we lost 2 good people, reorg. occurred, and now my manager is excited because 2 'dead weight' was given to him so he doesn't have to lose more good team members when the next round of surplus is given. And, see that one historically 'dead-weighter' (honestly, we joked that that this person 'clocked' in daily and then worked another job because he could not be found for the rest of the day) is still around from an old team I was on while someone on that team really good was let go. That being said, the difference was that dead-weight reported to Chicago and good worker WFH outside Little Rock. FYI: our AVP stated that in last surplus anyone not in a CZ was deemed 'at-risk'. Thus, 2 dead-weight that were reported to his CZ survived and 2 very good, skilled people on my team (which, btw, is spread throughout the country, no one on team resides in same state and, because we are developers, can work quite well remotely) because they did not work in CZs. Go figure. Been with the company for 30 years and surplus is always the 'name of the game' for AT&T. Very seldom has the determination of who stays and who goes made much sense but this last one was the most id--tic I have experienced in 30 years with the company.
Merit = cost of employment = salary + benefits. This varies per employee. Only HR knows your worth.
If you are under a CWA contract, the surplus is strictly by seniority. Nothing else matters. If you are non-bargained, be sure to bring your mgr coffee and biscuits every morning--you might get by.
As others have correctly stated, it depends on your manager. They can choose pretty much whatever criteria they want. They are given a number of a percentage and that many people go. So your best hope is that you are a good performer and your manager does it based on rank. But no guarantee that they won't look at salary or whatever and do whatever percentage they can to avoid the lawsuit.
Any ranking is also based on your immediate peers. Don't count on another manager to pick up someone else up who's gotten the axe over their own immediate people.
Eenie meenie mighty moe
I'm not denying what other organizations might do. But as a supervisor of nonbargained employees, I have always been given a number and made the cut based on ranking. It's never come down to age or location.
Its who you know
"Some other criteria" is the best description.
It is a freakin' mystery. Performance ratings and needs of the business don't seem to play a role in the decision. You can be the best performing, most needed person on your team, but if you number comes up, you are toast. Maybe HR uses a dart board.
Notice that leadership never shares the criteria...because the spreadsheet changes up to avoid lawsuits. They will never provide the real reason but age, higher salary and location are recurrent factors. I understand the layoff game must be played but it would be nice if they shared the rules.
Merit is relative. It all depends on how your manager sees things. What factors matter to them.
Some look at location, some look at productivity numbers regardless of if they are verified accurate or not, some look at seniority, some may look at real skills, some may look at competencys people claimed for themselves regardless if they are truthful or not.
Don't count on anything. Many have been unpleasantly suprised. They don't have to give you an explanation
location, location, location
merit means nothing. it's all about how cute or handsome you are and @$$ that you kiss.
Considering how many surplus events we have had already, you are already ranked.
The decision to surplus you has been made, or not.
I do not believe there is anything that anyone can do to change their course.
It is now simply a waiting game to see who is the last man standing.
Welcome to the new normal.
Are you bargained (union) or non-bargained?
For the latter, yes you are basically ranked with your peers. Even if they can't afford to lose anyone, supervisors are general given "a number" during a surplus event. They just come up with that number, often within a day or two, and provide the names. I've always told people, don't get frustrated if you aren't the best on your team; just make sure you're not at the bottom.