Like a lot of companies doing well and flush with new tax cuts, they are using this windfall to find ways to reduce staff. Since COO take over of IT, they have started bringing in management types who share the "employees are a burden" mentality, and who conveniently work on the other side of the country so they don't have to deal with the staff they're dealing with. And now the company is in the beginning phase of outsourcing as many as possible (as most companies are bringing staff back in-house).
I've never seen morale nose dive in a company like it has here in the last year or two. It's become an increasingly hostile environment. Staff has turned on each other and management and vice versa. Its sad to see management who at least acted like they cared about an employees future now ask, "How many do you need?," when asked to lay off people. Also sad to see are the obvious lies they throw at us ("We don't know whose job is affected," "This isn't about money").
Rumor is there are bonuses to be had for management in reducing staff. This would explain why all of this is being put in place so fast, while most projects of this size usually take years. And the jobs are being turned over to a company with proven security violations and staff that hate where they work.
Engineers attitude toward the CIO (and the staff he's bringing in) is increasingly ugly, and he seems to feel the same way. He and his staff have no idea who the employees are or what they do. And in the year or so he's been here the only vision he's given is "outsourcing is the way to go." That's what he did at the last place he worked, and look how successful they are.
Same with the new CISO they've brought in. His disdain for those who work for him is already legend in the hallways here.
Since all of this has been announced, most staff have gone from, "I hope I don't lose my job," to "PLEASE lay me off".. And you'll see after the smoke has cleared who is the better manager.... Those who are supportive of their staff will see little reduction, while the weaker ones will give up as many staff as they can to placate their new bosses. All of this will also give them cover to get rid of the older staff members under the shroud of "agility."
The rest of the company seem to have little to no idea what's going on (why would they start asking users what they would like from IT now). I can only imagine what will happen to all of these users who are used to white glove treatment now having to call people making low wages and no vested interest in how well the company does for help. Have fun..
