Microsoft Announces Major Downsizing - 60,000 Affected

[BHAN85]

Is it like Project Kiwix or something?

kiwix is not related to ai, just offline saved main webpages like wikipedia or project gutenberg (books without copyright).

it's like the computer part of prepping movement, to have a minimal knowledge saved if someday internet or power grid fails.

 

[BHAN85]

Speaking of the Ai issues, a friend just asked me to setup Project Nomad on her laptop. I don't know why she wants to have a private internet and do Ai work on the laptop but I will set it up for her anyway.

How to Install Project NOMAD on Ubuntu or Debian

Step-by-step guide to installing Project NOMAD, the free offline knowledge server, on an x86 PC running Ubuntu or Debian. Two commands and a setup wizard.

www.projectnomad.us

in peacetime, for privacy concerns, or to avoid pay premium access to ai.

although i think whole project is though from a prepping point of view, to face future possible disasters, without internet or power grid.

 

[AZ_HighCountry]

So, a question I had been meaning to ask: do we have any members here who work for Microsoft?

If yes, and without revealing anything that could compromise you personally, perhaps elaborate if there have been any internal announcements regarding head count by impacted country.

 

[Meengla]

although i think whole project is though from a prepping point of view, to face future possible disasters, without internet or power grid.

This whole preppy thing is stupid paranoia. When $hit will the fan, then we will see a world like 'The Walking Dead'. No place safe. No bunkers safe. No private internet would help. It will be worse in richer countries.

 

[Yasser76]

So, a question I had been meaning to ask: do we have any members here who work for Microsoft?

If yes, and without revealing anything that could compromise you personally, perhaps elaborate if there have been any internal announcements regarding head count by impacted country.

Good mate of mine does and he was effected. Basically the email went out globally to all divisions. Offer lasts till early Jan. He is in UK. As its "voluntary" there is no consultancy period or legal recourse here. The offers vary depending on seniority and tenure.
hard part is for many nearing retirement the package is very generous and on top of their normal package so they will take it. Also for those who do not take it, they will be veru anxious about future cuts.

It has been a massive blow for morale, and I think many would have just preferred a regular round of layoffs, he said this feels like water torture.

No one there is focusing properly on work

 

[AZ_HighCountry]

Good mate of mine does and he was effected. Basically the email went out globally to all divisions. Offer lasts till early Jan. He is in UK. As its "voluntary" there is no consultancy period or legal recourse here. The offers vary depending on seniority and tenure.
hard part is for many nearing retirement the package is very generous and on top of their normal package so they will take it. Also for those who do not take it, they will be veru anxious about future cuts.

It has been a massive blow for morale, and I think many would have just preferred a regular round of layoffs, he said this feels like water torture.

No one there is focusing properly on work

Of course those who do not go voluntarily will be nervous. There's no doubt in my mind Microsoft already has the list of names drawn up and ready to pass down to the local management on who is to be released in the event they don't go voluntarily.

Like it or not, 60,000 people are going to be released. It's clear that MS wants to do it the easy way.

No doubt no one is able to focus on work. Motorola was like that. 2-3 time per year, when the announcement went out, productivity oddly went down.

 

[Yasser76]

Of course those who do not go voluntarily will be nervous. There's no doubt in my mind Microsoft already has the list of names drawn up and ready to pass down to the local management on who is to be released in the event they don't go voluntarily.

Like it or not, 60,000 people are going to be released. It's clear that MS wants to do it the easy way.

No doubt no one is able to focus on work. Motorola was like that. 2-3 time per year, when the announcement went out, productivity oddly went down.

Oh for sure, 60,000 will be going. Just many doing the mental calculations of trying to hold out for a few months til the axe swings or taking the voluntary offer, while all at the same time brushing off their CV.
Irony is the best (especially in sales and engineering) will take the offer and find a job easily elsewhere, so you could be left with the mediocre, who will now be even more demotivated.

 

[AZ_HighCountry]

Indeed. It's a double-edged sword at that.

For those whose annual review concluded with "Partially meets expectations", take the offer.

 

[Meengla]

Like it or not, 60,000 people are going to be released. It's clear that MS wants to do it the easy way.

The bottomline in this thread title is the bottomline in your post!

 

[Meengla]

Indeed. It's a double-edged sword at that.

For those whose annual review concluded with "Partially meets expectations", take the offer.

I have worked barely 4 months in last almost 3 years. In the last stable job--which was in a Fortune 50 range company--one of my colleagues, who is also an oldie like me, remarked something like that 'Your name is on the bottom of a spreadsheet, right along with an intern. You make too much and he is just an intern'.
The colleague was so insightful! BTW, he too got laid off about 5 months before me and despite his 'Senior Database Administrator' credentials, took at least 2 years to get a job--a low paying one--but a State job. I believe my Reference for him helped him. He is still grateful to me. His life is more precarious than mine: Wasted raising a child who turned out to be a lifelong drain on his resources. I was too wise to have Goddamned kids of my own. My 'Prenuptial' to wife before marriage in early 2000s was: If we would have 1 million $ in bank then kids. Otherwise No. Well, we never had such $$.

 

[Ali_Baba]

Good mate of mine does and he was effected. Basically the email went out globally to all divisions. Offer lasts till early Jan. He is in UK. As its "voluntary" there is no consultancy period or legal recourse here. The offers vary depending on seniority and tenure.
hard part is for many nearing retirement the package is very generous and on top of their normal package so they will take it. Also for those who do not take it, they will be veru anxious about future cuts.

It has been a massive blow for morale, and I think many would have just preferred a regular round of layoffs, he said this feels like water torture.

No one there is focusing properly on work

Sorry to hear that, but that is life - never a straight line.

If your mate is going to retire, or near retirement or has a job lined up already, or does not need the cash, then he can just take the 30k tax free as cash and then get the rest of the pay out put into his pension for this tax year and next(Microsoft will allow his to salary sacrifice into the next tax year(most companies do), etc)

 

[Yasser76]

Indeed. It's a double-edged sword at that.

For those whose annual review concluded with "Partially meets expectations", take the offer.

Oh yeah, 100% If you are any near the bottom 20% or on a PIP you are gone baby....

 

[wangdefa]

AI will indeed replace many basic jobs in the coming period. Our company is also advancing the progress of AI-related work. The salaries for AI positions are very high, which is equivalent to shifting from basic positions to high-quality talent positions. This is beneficial for both the company and its shareholders.

 

[Yasser76]

Sorry to hear that, but that is life - never a straight line.

If your mate is going to retire, or near retirement or has a job lined up already, or does not need the cash, then he can just take the 30k tax free as cash and then get the rest of the pay out put into his pension for this tax year and next(Microsoft will allow his to salary sacrifice into the next tax year(most companies do), etc)

Yeah, good strategy but like with many of us we are at different stages in life and have had different experiances and in different financial positions despite us being same age

My daughter is adult in full time employment with good job, I paid off Mortgage 10 years ago and then saved and have second property and some investments in shares, etc My missus also has a good job.

He is divorced, his ex really screwed him over (slept with neighbour then rinsed him in the divorce), he had to support her lifestyle for a limited amount of time, had to move out of the family house and his two kids are 7 and 10. Now has new partner new house with mortgage and no savings or other properties.

If I was in his position I would take the offer with the financials you mentioned, he cannot afford to