Thread regarding AT&T layoffs

It’s been a downward spiral since Randall took the helm . Bad decision after bad decision costing billions but yet the propaganda machine keeps smiling. Awards for this and awards for that but yet the customer base isn’t getting larger . They continually praise themselves for best this and best that but in reality it’s far from the truth . Their solution for everything seemingly is surprising employees .

JD power awards , voted best network on and on ..... that’s great let’s surplus more people .

I remember back in the Ameritech days when a manager could manage and an employee could actually work with some sense of accomplishment. Today managers manage numbers and employees sharpen their pencils to find ways around those numbers . It all looks good on spreadsheets but the customer suffers , gets torked off , and ditches our services . That’s the reality of the new AT&T . The ship is sinking Mr. Stephenson and when it’s all over there will be nothing left .

I like what I do, but the ax is always hanging over my head. That makes it hard to really enjoy working here. And as someone said, making financial decisions is harder when you dont know if the end is right around the corner.

For me I know the cut is fairly close. Could be next quarter or in 2 years, but it is coming. I will casually look elsewhere and if I find something great. However the severance would be a nice bonus upon exit.

I think most people have trouble getting into working here, when the company just isn't that into them.

I work in customer service and for the most part, I’m grateful. The job is tough on me mentally and emotionally, but the pay check is great and so are the benefits. At the end of the day, I will always choose my health over any job and that’s why I know this will not be a long term job for me. Management expects us to meet metrics while they keep coming up with policy changes that only anger our customers. The products are over priced bc there is no competitive pricing. Customers are not loyal and rely on promotional pricing. Management acts like no one is ever on the same page. I once had dreams of growing with the company, but that dream has long since withered away. It’s just a paycheck to me now.

This last post was very honest and informative thank you. Sh-- rolls downhill, we all know. The 3rd level managers on down are not really the problem. They’re just following orders. The problem starts at the very top. Count those beans Randall , take that golden parachute and then please advise your board to turn At&t over to a guy who actually came up the ranks of operations and not a bean counting school like you. You’ve destroyed this company.

The company is managed by spreadsheet rather than by leadership. People learn how to "game" the system so their spreadsheet numbers meet the target. This typically results in driving the wrong behavior, creating negative publicity and costing the company revenues in the long run. I'm a 2nd level manager, and most management at my level and above is short-sighted. The corporate culture is broken. Innovative and creative thinking is not valued. People are worried more about job security than about doing what's right for customers, for shareholders and for employees. Leadership is a case-study in how NOT to run a company. Many employees shrug and say "it's all about the numbers and all about profit"... NO it is NOT! If it was, our numbers and our profits would both be significantly higher. It's about doing what your boss expects, and your boss expects you to meet your target spreadsheet numbers, so you game the system to "meet" those numbers... so this is actually backfiring and the spreadsheets are causing more problems than they solve. Horrible leadership. But the pay is good and the benefits are fantastic so I'm happy but worried that the music could stop at any minute and I won't have a chair to sit in.

I'm thankful for my job. It's the higher ups that keep cutting the Craft jobs. Doing away with years of experience which in turn hurts the customer. Sad but True. Complaint about getting your job cut is not in any way dislike of your job.

Its only the millennials that are prem techs and complain. There’s always barber school...

Not “happy” but I do feel grateful for a well paying job. Did not finish college and yet I make more than some who did and I realize how lucky we are in this respect.

They continue making my job so mind numbing it's difficult going to work. I am extremely overpaid and bored. I watch downloaded Netflix series on t mobile phone waiting to get laid off . Sad but I am being honest

@1var....I know plenty of folks that have quit. 5, 10, 15, 20 year folks...SSIM, DLC, Cable Repair, Construction, Service Tech. Some started their own small businesses, some went to CenturyLink, some went to another field. A lot of these younger folks aren't going to tolerate the daily "you s---" speeches and the constant loom of whatever you do isn't good enough. Folks like myself are too far down the tracks to jump off the train.

I grew up on a farm.... everyday of my career with T has been a walk in the park. Money is good, work is easy, insurance, 401k match and a pension. I might not agree with leadership decisions but then again I don’t own the company so try not to get too worried about things I can’t control. I guess if you think it’s that bad here you can always look for another job but I honestly don’t think it’s that bad working for the phone company.

I believe you need to reach the Executive Levels of Pay ( who are apparently immune to the layoffs ) before you will find anyone who is happy within AT&T.

I liked my job. Not the BS.

Smiled and waved for 37 years.

My best day, the most enjoyable day, was in Oct of 2015.

I still remember it.

My last day.

People do nothing and loudly declare it. Demanding a “buyout” to get them to retire. While hundreds with lower seniority are being declared surplus. It’s crazy. You may see some consolidation that will put those do nothings back to work. They will quit when forced to engage. Without a sipp.

I like working for Att.....have you ever noticed people don’t quit? I have yet to see an outside tech quit in 25 years. People file grievances, disability and mental health claims but never leave. Why is that? The culture at this company is to complain. It’s amazing!

The only satisfaction is a paycheck. Having to come into a dirty, smelly, germ infected office for no reason other than to satisfy some manager in Dallas who has no idea what my position entails has ruined all enthusiasm & motivation for me.

Yes, i agree mobility in the west is pretty bad. It use to be a great place. Its a sad state this company has put their employees in.

Started back 1977- [was away 5 years and came back post Leg T invasion] I still truly enjoy the interaction with and support for the customer, this is what I like about my job. The processes/philosophy brought in by Leg T [failed previously and are failing now]. The work I used to handle end-to end and see its completion in a reasonable time, I now have to fill out a form to ask a group in 'where-everville' to review, issue an order/request to send back to another group with no 'skin-in the game' to hopefully achieve completion within 3-9 months in many service delivery cases.

This is what I find embarrassing and the catalyst for my coming departure.

I will not speak ill of any real employee/personnel at the 'get- the- work-done' level. I am hopeful we can stop beating up on each other.These decision are above most of our paygrades and out of our hands. Watch for what you believe will best serve your needs without causing harm [real or verbal] to another.

If one has some information to help someone as we all pass through this fire- share it. Straight-spines, integrity and closing with class will matter when all the 'stupid-dust' settles. Randall S [aka Napolean] will too pass away. Richer than most of us, but with $$ only.

Sad close to great legacy of service [ we were by no means perfect- but we were most assuredly better at caring as a rule ]. The shortcomings of human nature is everywhere -- we were still better and the hand-off of the 'remains' to the next generation is on them to resurrect or put out of its misery. Be classy as you go forward/or go out.

7

EG (Entertainment Group) is malignant environment. El Segundo is a terrible place to work with the leadership clueless on how to turn the culture around.

Mobility in the west is at all time low in my 25 years.

Systems techs Are held to account for numbers and the metrics too so if you’re not being held to account , then count yourself very lucky because it sounds like your FSM isn’t doing his job and eventually he’ll be called out on it. Systems techs didn’t used to have to play the silly game but ever since they were put under the umbrella of SSIM they have to now. For those that don’t know, systems techs ARE CPE techs that used to be “bellsouth communications systems” or BCS. They installed pbx and key systems for business and were a profit center. And they did make a profit for bellsouth. Then AT&T bought it and pretty much laid off all of BCS salespeople and pretty much took a group that made money and destroyed it. Now systems techs are part of the larger “cost centers” and have been subjected to the same metrics and numbers game. They’ve been denigrated to just rack and stack techs now. Now they don’t make a profit , they’re just a number like the rest of us. AT&T successfully alienated most of their PBX customers. It’s like AT&T went out of their way to destroy the CPE business. God I miss bellsouth. F--- att and their willful incompetence.

28 yrs as a tech, always a over achiever & enjoyed my job. Now I go to work, do what I have to do & nothing more. Management rules & the bean counting have turned this job into a miserable factory job.

@ZSomXqu-1xbz sounds lovely. Congrats on the promotion

I know a lot of employees that like their job. Me included. I like what I do. But I'm not under the gun to worry about any numbers game. I got out of that 3 years ago. I was fortunate to land a great position transferring from cable repair to a Systems Tech. I work all businesses and no residence customers. I have all the support I need to make sure the customer gets the services they paid for. My boss is great to work for. On a side note, it s---s that when they have an issue with their product they have to deal with Brazil. I think AT&T s---s. I can't wait to retire. And I am eligible. I'm waiting for a buyout or until May 2021. Then they can kiss my A$$ because I'm gone and I'm not looking back.

But yeah, I like what I do, just not the company I do it for. Thankfully I can enjoy this ride for 23 more months.

I know a lot of folks that care about the quality of work they are doing, care about providing a solid customer experience and that take ownership of the problems. I have worked with some fantastic people while at att. Believe me, ive been in some real sweat shops before, but this place takes the cake now. Went from being best job I ever had to the worst. I’ve seen really great folks get walked out the door these past few years. I’ve seen plenty of level 3+ that need to get let go ASAP. Until they start cleaning house on the middle layer, it’s going to be more of the same or worse. So to answer the question, I don’t know of many level 2 and below that are happy right now. Now the next thing to worry about is the offshoring and inshoring that is taking place. I’ve been told from a couple level 3s that the new leadership from India is forcing them to hire Indian workers and denying American workers straight up.

Happy when I get my check. Unhappy when I make my numbers for 5 years in a row and instead of being considered for a promotion I end up on the surplus list.

hi! RSC here, been doing 6 years in this horror story.

I have 25 years. I’m a tech. Was the happiest employee with bellsouth. I still love doing my job and I love helping my customers. I get satisfaction from helping others and I love troubleshooting. I love my job but I absolutely hate doing it for att. Because they don’t want me out there doing my job. They prefer I focus on upselling c-appy products or did I use 3 cones or did I put the ticket in “customer delay” to stop the clock Even though it’s not really customer delay ; I’m waiting on parts. But that doesnt stop the clock so they demand CD even though that’s clearly fraud. But fraud is apparently ok as long as it benefits the 2nd and 3rd level and they get their bonus/metrics. They don’t care about the customer. The higher ups just care about one thing. How big their bonus will be. F--- att for ruining bellsouth region.

It would honestly be great IF I knew that I had a future here, a career, and was treated like a valuable part of the company. And if we just allowed to fix things without worrying that I was there too long or having 12 hours worth of work to get to for the day.

It is a good job. It is satisfying and at times challenging work. And silving customers issues comes with a certain level of intrinsic value, but as a prem tech I never know if I’ll be here in 6 months.

Picture this; each and every new quarter you hold your breath to see if you are going to be released in the next round of major cuts. Breath a sigh of relief when you learn you aren’t going to be released. Great, you have a job for three months. Rinse and repeat. Want to buy a house, start a family, buy a car, heck, even spend money on a vacation when you know the next round could take you? Is this any way to live a life? Is this the way to have a happy and productive workforce?

More layoffs are coming 8/2/19. And if I don't find another internal position by then, I'll be gone just shy of 29 years. This company has more supervisors & directors & AvpS without budget or work to support the headcount. Bad decisions & too much debt Are driving forces of layoffs & it's the employees paying the price. How do you think they make their dividend payments? By layoffs! Just get ready For the next big sell off to Ibm! It's coming sooner than you think....,

Happy. #retired

I’m happy.

I get 17 weeks off a year.

Ain’t life great?!

ATT has lost employee engagement. Nobody seems to care and take ownership of issues. I hear negative company statements regarding surplussing on conference calls without regard who is in attendance (Directors & AVPs). It will take a decade or longer to reengage employees, but I believe the executives really don't care either.

I’m as happy as a clam.

Been here for 52 years.

No one I know is happy. 20 plus years here. Negativity abounds because the company isn’t loyal to you and your probably going to be surplussed by next year 2020

I am.

I’m going on 18 yrs with the company. I was happy for the past 16yrs and then it started to go downhill around the time DTV came onboard. The clash of cultures between AT&T and DTV along with the some very stupid leadership decisions created a very defensive workforce that crippled the progress needed to build a top their entertainment.

Then the risky move with the Time Warner merger brought in more debt than planned. Leadership further destabilized the workforce with poorly managed surplus activities.

Instead of creating a unified workforce that moves quickly leadership turned the company into a chop shop. The number one focus is to cut costs at any cost. Each org is jumping through hoops week after week to reduce headcount and spending. In turn they are spending dollars for savings in dimes. Three to five admin types constantly running reports on time charging, project spending, and pushing to reduce costs. The level of weekly oversight is beyond stupid and screams desperation.

Employees and contractors question every team meeting with concerns on headcount reductions. The level of micro management and overly aggressive attempts to drive perceived automation are crippling any level of true productivity.

I loved working for AT&T until recent years. These days it s---s. I do hope that it will get better.

I was happy my first ten years. I now have 20. We were allowed to do quality work and actually take care of our customers. We were praised when we took ownership of difficult issues instead of kicking the can down the road. Now it is all spreadsheet management. Under MSOC (b--tard spawn of Six Sigma) you better damn well kick that can down the road or God help you your numbers will suffer. We have some real id--ts in upper management who adopted this methodology.