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by dragonwriter 1241 days ago
> It seems like few to no people in any of their managerial chains were consulted.

From a worker perspective, line and middle managers look like bosses.

From an executive perspective, they look like workers. They are usually also cut in layoffs (often disproportionately, even: increasing management span of control in layoffs is common.) If you consult with them on coming layoffs they’ll either try to protect themselves and the employees they see as key (regardless of the corporate objectives of the layoffs) – or they’ll bolt and try to get the best staff out safe with them before the layoffs hit and they are competing with others for limited opportunities.

So, no, they aren’t consulted.
3 comments
jonathankoren 1241 days ago
> From a worker perspective, line and middle managers look like bosses. From an executive perspective, they look like workers

THIS.

I used to think that managers had some sort of secret knowledge they hold close among themselves. Then I became a manager.

FYI: Your manager is often just as much in the dark as you.

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scruple 1241 days ago
> From a worker perspective, line and middle managers look like bosses. From an executive perspective, they look like workers.

A former employer had layoffs this week. Of the people I knew who were laid off, at least 60% were management. Many of them were at the Director level and up to VP and even an SVP.

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notacoward 1241 days ago
I've known managers who had to lay off people in their teams, even as they knew that they themselves were being laid off too. That must really suck.
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david38 1241 days ago
Not at all. The manager did it for money. For what, a month’s salary? If it were sick, it would be less common.
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notacoward 1241 days ago
> The manager did it for money.

You assume a lot. Or maybe project. In the cases where I've been close enough to see, the managers were maintaining empathy and professionalism toward their team members even as they were facing uncertainty themselves. That's still hard. Whether they were staying for the money doesn't change that. Managers are people too, and not everyone is motivated solely by money.

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