Okay, so Verizon's doing the layoff shuffle, 15,000 people getting the boot. Biggest ever, they say. You know what that sounds like? A company that's absolutely crushing it.
The Subscriber Exodus: Writing on the Wall?
Three straight quarters of subscriber losses. Let's be real, that's not a "whoopsie," that's a trend. And what's the knee-jerk reaction? Slash jobs. Because apparently, innovation and adapting to the market are too hard. Easier to just make 15,000 people someone else's problem. Verizon plans 15,000 layoffs after subscriber losses
New CEO, new cuts. Gotta "aggressively reduce costs," they say. Translation: "I need to make a splash so the shareholders don't come after me."
Is anyone really surprised? We're talking about a telecom behemoth that's been coasting on infrastructure built decades ago. They're about as nimble as a cruise ship trying to navigate a kiddie pool.
And it's not just Verizon. Condé Nast, Amazon... the big boys are all thinning the ranks. Is this the start of something bigger? A nice little recession appetizer, perhaps?
The Anxiety Olympics: Who's Next?
The article mentions "rolling layoffs," these sneaky little headcount reductions that avoid the headlines. Fifty or fewer employees at a time. How very considerate of them. Keeps the stock price up, morale down.
Glassdoor says mentions of layoffs and job insecurity are higher than even March 2020. Remember that dumpster fire? Well, looks like we're lighting another one.
"Employees are feeling less secure." You don't say? Give me a break. If I was working at Verizon right now, I'd be polishing my resume so hard it'd be reflective.
Rosencrans, the HR guru, says to watch out for "lower engagement in meetings" and people "quietly updating their LinkedIn profiles." Wow, insightful. I mean, offcourse, if people are worried about getting canned, they're not gonna be brainstorming new synergy strategies. As Verizon and other big orgs announce layoffs, is it spooking your employees?
HR's solution? Transparency! Share what you know, when you know it, "with empathy." Which probably translates to, "We're firing you, but we feel really bad about it. Here's a box for your stapler."
Multi-modal communication, town halls, small-team settings... all designed to "empower employees to process emotional situations." Because nothing says "we value you" like a mandatory crying circle led by your manager.
But hold on, maybe I'm being too cynical. Maybe Verizon really is doing what's best for the long-term health of the company. Maybe these layoffs are a necessary evil, a painful but ultimately beneficial course correction.
Nah. I don't buy it.
The Beginning of the End?
So, What's the Real Story?
It's not just about Verizon. It's about the whole damn system. Companies prioritizing short-term gains over long-term stability, CEOs making decisions based on stock prices instead of actual innovation, and employees treated like disposable cogs in a machine. This ain't just a canary; it's a whole flock of birds dropping dead in the corporate coal mine.