The spreadsheet layoff era is apparently upon us. Google and Facebook are laying off thousands, but we’re hearing that many people who got pink slips were high performers with great reviews. Some even had recently been promoted. No brand can stay relevant by implementing spreadsheet layoffs.
Steve Jobs once said the most important jon of any senior manager is “too hold onto your best people”. Apparently the tech companies don’t believe that.
Anyone who has worked for a giant corporation should know that their job is NEVER secure. You could give 110%, but it all comes down to Wall Street and investors. Facebook has decided to buy back $40 billion in stock to help their stock recover while they plan even further cuts to their staff.
Millennials and Generation Z have made huge mistakes. They trusted their employers and gave too much to their jobs, thinking it would help them advance to more responsibility and money. Instead, they got layoff notices while on maternity leave or medical leave. This is today’s workplace where employees are just a number.
The job market is still pretty hot, so most laid off will probably find new positions quickly, but they’re taking a lot of knowledge and experience with them that employers are going. To have a hard time replacing. That is going to hurt their employers’ brand.
More and more, your brand is your employees. I’ve been dealing with a Federal Express issue over the last month that has left me worn out and swearing that my company will never use Fed Ex again. Their customer service people, from what I can tell, are based overseas, and either don’t care or are limited about what they can do to help.
PayPal just announced they are laying off 2,000 people, which will undoubtedly lead to an erosion of customer service and a decline in business. But all shareholders care about is cutting expenses to make more money NOW. Forget about being posied for the future.
I hope that someday the word will get out that your brand is your employees. Right now, most brands are what Wall Street says they are.
