#layoffs

Recording 24 consecutive quarters of staff reductions, the current headcount stands at 197,000 employees, reflecting a decrease of 15,000 positions compared to the previous year. Over the past six years, under the leadership of CEO Charlie Scharf, the organization has eliminated a total of 79,000 roles.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/wells-fargo-warns-of-additional-job-cuts-as-cost-cutting-drive-continues/ar-AA284NyR?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=f393bcd159ae452af7868dfd2f6ebb02&ei=9

No one wants to hire you because, they have AI. AT&T doesn’t want to keep you because you don’t live in hub. What a bad thing to be a T employee.

The company has been using AI buzzwords and based on what we have seen internally, nothing has changed. RL uses pre scripted sentences and Sydney, HealthOS, data / information / insights (stop it), make it easy for members but all of the upside has been by cutting workforce or moving work at cheaper contract rates to vendors (nothing to do with AI), and all this has forced rest of the team to pick the load. I am sure there was waste - but attributing anything to AI or technological transformation is BIG overkill. There is nothing new, no real tech or AI strategy that has been shown since RL and gang came in. He just manages up at cost of real frontline workers. We see it every day.

There is nothing new, people are frustrated, new tech leaders are clueless and trying to figure out how to stay relevant by deliberately telling all things are broken, no respect for anyone with prior knowledge. I am sure in another 6 months to a year questions will be asked and leaders will blame each other. Front line managers and engineers / workforce is feeling the pressure and looking for leadership which does not exist. It’s a shame how the company is being run into ground.

Which areas being affected?

Another reorg. Sold as agility, felt as whiplash. Leadership didn’t even wait for the planned date — they tore up a structure barely a year old and rebuilt it mid-year, with zero regard for what that costs the people living through it. The stated reason: “boost software deployment.” The real reason is simpler and darker.
IBM has spent years buying growth instead of building it. Every quarter, another acquisition gets folded in, rebranded as “software strength,” and used to justify the next reorg. Strip out the acquisitions, and the growth mostly disappears. This isn’t a strategy. It’s a treadmill, and shareholders finally noticed — the stock just had its worst single day in the company’s history.
The money to keep buying is running out. Debt keeps climbing. Buybacks have been frozen for years because the company is still “digesting” its last purchase. Cash meant for growth is quietly being redirected to service the last deal, not fund the next one. When a company can’t return money to its own shareholders, it’s telling you something about how thin the cushion has gotten.
And the sales playbook is exhausted. For years, big renewals were “won” by reshuffling the same contract — discount here, markup there, call it a signing. Do that once, fine. Do it a third time on the same account, and there’s nothing left to move. Customers aren’t d-mb. Many are also sitting on mountains of software they were sold and never deployed. Asking them to sign another restructuring on top of shelfware gathering dust isn’t selling — it’s asking for patience that ran out a while ago. That’s the real story behind “large deals failed to close.” It was never about speed.
So here’s what a summer reorg actually buys: nothing, fast. Territory changes take a quarter just to stabilize. Real deals take six months to a year to close. Launch a reorg in July, across a holiday season when half of Europe is offline, and demand results in Q3 — and you’ve built a machine engineered to fail on schedule.
Except failure doesn’t cost everyone the same. IBM books the reorg as a clean, one-time charge and moves on. Sellers absorb the real cost: quotas that don’t shrink to match a broken calendar, commission checks that quietly get smaller because targets were unrealistic from day one, accounts inherited mid-relationship with no memory of what was promised or already burned. When the numbers come up short, it won’t be called “the reorg cost us a season.” It’ll be called underperformance. The same event, blamed upward as strategy and downward as failure — a strategy that costs nothing on the way in and everything on the way out, just not for the people who designed it.
That’s the pattern worth naming out loud: a company that has run out of things to buy, running out of ways to reshuffle what it already sold, paying for both by quietly shifting the bill onto the people closest to the customer.
Another reorg won’t fix that. Only shipping what was already sold will.

I don’t want Dan and Alfonso to get on stage next time and complain about the terrible customer experience on the app or mobile site.

They chose to retain the underperforming team while laying off smart people. How did they decide to keep Adam C over other Senior Directors? And Chris P’s underperforming team remains completely intact.

The buck stops with them going forward. They can’t blame the former leadership team anymore.

layoffs across the sw org again…

A U.S. judge has refused to stop Meta Platforms from proceeding with layoffs affecting 26 employees. These workers claim the company used AI tools to unfairly target them for job cuts due to disabilities or medical leave. The judge stated the employees did not demonstrate irreparable harm to warrant an emergency injunction. Meta denies wrongdoing and asserts human decision-making in the layoff process. The company is in the midst of reducing its global workforce by approximately 10%.

Oakland, California

https://wkzo.com/2026/07/17/us-judge-wont-block-meta-from-laying-off-workers-who-filed-ai-discrimination-lawsuit/

Electrolux is transitioning its Anderson plant from refrigerator production to laundry equipment manufacturing. This significant change follows a North American partnership with Midea, a Chinese appliance giant. Over 1,200 workers were laid off as part of this operational overhaul. The company plans to retool the facility, with production expected to resume in early 2027. Many displaced workers are finding new employment opportunities in the local manufacturing sector.

Anderson, South Carolina

https://www.andersonobserver.com/news/electrolux-layoffs-near-complete-overhaul-for-new-products-set-to-begin

A little more detail on impact in Seattle,WA market; 54 employees https://www.seattletimes.com/business/verizon-to-lay-off-54-wa-employees/

So I completely understand the need to serve members, the huge queues, the need to work work work. But we are losing the human touch that case management is supposed to represent. Based on the current direction it is - treat them like cattle - find small things and peace out at 90 days. Something comes up, member has real needs welp too bad we don’t care cause other people waiting too. A case needs to stay open longer - bring it to rounds so they can tell you to keep up the good work. Plus we will ask for you input about what is working, what is not but no one cares at all in reality. Just sit there, shut up and get it done…. How we don’t care…. Mental health yeah we don’t care….
As someone who loved this job and this workplace when she started, the cracks in the wall are showing and frankly there isn’t enough stucco in the world. The rot in this place start with mismanagement and lack of direction at the top and goes down to mid and lower tier management for the most part. There are exceptions and I am grateful for having experienced the other side. Honestly if you think you can hold this place together with duct tape, baling wire and AI go for it. Just approve the VSP and let us go now. So we have the same luxury to leave you with sorry bout your luck get it done.
All I know is between anxiety and extra meeting’s to micromanage further servicing the members I am here for gets harder by the day. I can only assume this tactic is to attempt to not pay severance because it’s definitely not helping morale!
Oh but Thank freaking goodness it’s Friday!

Everyone's exhausted hearing the word AI. It's in every memo, every excuse for why headcount keeps shrinking. Fine. Let's actually use it, then. Not to write emails faster. To see the picture clearly.

We used it to pull profit numbers back to the year this company formed. Not a single loss year in over two decades.

We used it to compare executive pay against the exact years benefits got cut.

We used it to see that severance costs are often a fraction of what gets paid out in dividends in a matter of weeks.

We used it to understand who stock buybacks actually benefit, and it is not the person worried about their next paycheck.

We used it to recognize known corporate playbooks: titles structured to strip organizing rights, restructuring that lines up with headcount targets already decided.

We used it to confirm national union density has been eroding for seventy years, and we're living the tail end of it.

We used it to separate real savings from cost shifting, franchise conversions and rehire-at-a-lower-rate schemes that look like savings but are wage suppression with extra steps.

None of this required insider access. It's all public, buried under enough jargon that reading it feels like a second job.

So if they're going to hand us the tool and tell us to use it or get left behind, use it. Educate yourself on the company you actually work for. Don't take what they hand you in a rally with the claps and the p-m poms as the whole picture. Pull the numbers. Pull the board backgrounds. Pull the org chart changes. Do the research yourself, not because someone told you what to think, but because you finally can see it for yourself.

Once enough of us see the same picture, at the same time, the direction gets a lot less complicated.

Roberta R takes the helm, Jess G. out. The rest of the team looks “safe”. Wonder what other units consolidated in the next few months.

With such major org changes of VCG, will VCG safe for some months?

No one notice this? Only covered regionally where the doors closed, but seems like a big deal.

From what I heard, Human Capital basically told leaders to take a training or read a book if they’re nervous about being laid off in the future. The focus should he gaining new skills. In other words, prepare yourself because it could happen. They’re also still playing the “we don’t know” game when asked about the India office. From what I heard, the earliest timeline is T2 of next year. Let’s be honest: with all the regulatory, legal, and logistical hoops involved, there’s no way they don’t already have a pretty clear idea of the plan.

So they are just assuming everyone will take the job at the indirects ? Regardless if anyone does Verizon still needs to own up to the thousands not 500. BTW how many fraud transactions are going to get pushed through if the rep is leaving ? I can’t believe how Verizon handles layoffs when so many will be there for another month. What a shrinkage nightmare !

Thank you for laying me off. No, I do not want to learn about your earnings while I struggle to find a new job. WTH?

My thoughts...
Collins Aerospace experienced a significant workforce reduction on June 11, and there is ongoing speculation that additional layoffs may occur between September and November. Concerns have been raised regarding the effectiveness of the current leadership team, as uncertainty about future organizational changes appears to be affecting decision-making and overall confidence within the company.

Employees have also expressed concerns about operational and product-related challenges, including reported issues affecting certain brake programs. There is a perception among some that senior leaders are not being sufficiently transparent with customers and are shifting accountability to lower levels of the organization. While the company emphasizes its commitment to ethics and values, many employees feel these principles are not consistently reflected in business decisions.

Continued workforce reductions and restructuring activities may provide short-term financial benefits, but they have also had a notable impact on employee morale. Additionally, the loss of experienced personnel risks creating a significant drain of institutional knowledge, which could affect long-term operational effectiveness and sustainability.

While many recognize that organizational change may be necessary, there is a growing belief that meaningful improvement will require renewed leadership and a clearer strategic direction from the executive team.

Curious to know what's going on with MBP (Modern Banking Platform)? It seems like it got hit with layoffs recently. I've heard rumors about it struggling lately to gain traction as a proven core solution.

Wondering when severance is actually paid? Just got my last paycheck before the termination date. Any idea when the documents would be sent and when they would pay out severance?

I find it highly oxymoronic (with the emphasis on mo--nic) that we have these departments that take their work so seriously, use unbelievable amounts of academic rigor to try and solve problems and come from the highest caliber business schools and academic institutions while we see stock prices in free fall and continuous service area exits and RIFs. Maybe things need to be simplified, not iterated with more rigor and wonderfully polished vocabulary in presentations. This place is full of contradictions.

A significant number of employees at a major steel plant are being laid off. This reduction in workforce is attributed to a challenging economic climate impacting the industry. The company cited decreased demand and increased operational costs as primary reasons for the decision. Affected workers will receive support packages as they transition. This move signals ongoing difficulties within the steel manufacturing sector.

Whiting, Indiana

https://www.insideindianabusiness.com/articles/bp-union-dispute-continues-as-local-officials-call-for-end-to-lockout-at-whiting-refinery

Temco Logistics is reducing its workforce by 60 employees. This action is a direct result of the company discontinuing its flatbed delivery operations. The logistics firm is winding down this specific service. These job cuts are occurring in Hialeah.

Hialeah, Florida

https://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2026/07/17/logistics-company-temco-to-lay-off-60-employees.html

Laptops are being rationed and recycled. Yes, recycled. So that laptop you just got might be 3 years old and won't handle the windows 11 upgrade. Team members are going through three four and five laptops before they find one that can handle Windows 11.

smh.

They want you to come into the office but they don't want to give you a computer.

Meanwhile we have all these groups pointlessly tokenmaxxing.

Technology has always been pretty bad at Wells Fargo. This is unacceptable. How are we going to sell products customers without compute.

We need to fire a lot more people. Unfortunately we seem to be firing the wrong ones

The U.S. job market is experiencing a paradox of low layoffs alongside a significant hiring slowdown. Artificial intelligence is increasingly impacting entry-level positions, demanding higher skill levels from candidates. This trend is widening the gap between available jobs and qualified applicants, particularly for recent graduates. Simultaneously, demand for skilled trades and AI-proficient workers is surging, creating labor shortages in specific sectors. Consequently, wages and employment opportunities are becoming more dependent on productivity and specialized skills.

United States

https://economy.ac/news/2026/07/202607289547

News 12 has implemented significant layoffs, impacting local newsrooms across the New York metropolitan area. These cuts have led to the elimination of dozens of jobs and a reduction in hyperlocal reporting. Standalone operations in several boroughs and Connecticut are being dismantled, replaced by a single regional broadcast with brief local segments. While Long Island and New Jersey will maintain separate broadcasts due to stronger ratings, the overall impact on local journalism is substantial. Remaining staff express concerns about safety and the future of neighborhood-specific coverage.

New York

https://nypost.com/2026/07/15/media/news-12-axes-scores-of-journos-from-bronx-brooklyn-westchester-and-connecticut-newsrooms-dire/

Howard Stern has secured a lucrative new contract, reportedly earning him approximately $8,000 per minute. This significant income comes amidst recent staff reductions on his show. Stern has decided to broadcast only one show per week moving forward. The layoffs affected about a dozen employees. A former assistant has also filed a lawsuit alleging a hostile work environment.

Miami Beach, Florida

https://uinterview.com/news/howard-stern-is-making-8000-per-minute-in-his-new-contract-as-he-announces-staff-layoffs/amp/

So assuming the Union Eisp will be announced soon .The summer manager riff Is over .So hopefully it’s an enhanced buyout to everyone who wants out .This is possible it could be after September riff scheduled.I just don’t understand how the management continues to operate as if the whole company is not just smoke & mirrors !!!As if the CEO actually cares about the direct reports doing the dirty work like a band of executioners!!Pretty sure the associates that are mostly union have been taking more abuse from the same managers who fear for their Jobs for years .Lets face it from gps tracking to time questioning .When most associates actually have done nothing wrong along with have given no abuse to the management.Pretty sure if I was management I would just track on thru my day as if I saw nothing .Crazy how some managers still go after associates inside and outside for no reason as if the corporation cares about them till the next riff.

US unemployment claims saw a significant decrease last week, falling to 208,000. This drop was more substantial than economists had predicted. The four-week average of claims also decreased, indicating continued labor market resilience. Continuing claims also eased, suggesting fewer people are remaining unemployed long-term. These figures point to employers holding onto their staff despite economic uncertainties.

Washington, D.C.

https://cryptobriefing.com/us-jobless-claims-decline-208000/

Wells Fargo has eliminated 79,000 jobs over the past six years as part of an ongoing efficiency program. The bank's headcount has decreased for 24 consecutive quarters, with a further reduction of 3,500 employees in the last quarter. Executives anticipate operating with fewer staff due to advancements in technology and AI. Despite these cuts, Wells Fargo is actively hiring in growth areas like customer-facing roles and technology development. This strategic workforce reshaping aligns with broader industry trends of leveraging automation while investing in specialized positions.

https://www.peoplematters.in/news/strategic-hr/wells-fargo-cuts-79000-jobs-in-six-years-says-more-layoffs-are-coming-50894

Rogers is reportedly laying off front-line customer service representatives, adding to recent job cuts in its media division. The company has not confirmed the number of affected employees, but reports suggest hundreds may be terminated. Rogers stated it is investing in digital tools to improve customer service speed. Some laid-off workers claim their jobs are being moved to Morocco. This follows similar cuts by other major Canadian telecommunications companies.

Toronto, Ontario

https://www.cbc.ca/news/gopublic/rogers-customer-service-layoffs-9.7272931

Divebombing into oblivion
Dying along with Larry

Commonwealth has recently implemented layoffs affecting its home office staff. These workforce reductions are occurring in anticipation of the company's conversion to LPL. Affected employees are expected to remain in their positions through the end of 2026. The article does not specify the exact number of employees impacted by these layoffs. Further details regarding the conversion process are also not provided.

https://citywire.com/pro-buyer/news/exclusive-commonwealth-lays-off-home-office-staffers-ahead-of-lpl-conversion/a2494349

CDW has recently conducted layoffs as part of an organizational restructuring. The company stated these changes are intended to sharpen operating discipline and reinvest in high-growth opportunities. This move aligns with CDW's AI-first initiative, aiming to enhance efficiency and customer focus. The exact number of affected employees was not disclosed. Previous layoffs at CDW occurred in July of last year and in April 2023.

Vernon Hills, Illinois

https://www.crn.com/news/channel-news/2026/cdw-cuts-jobs-as-ai-cost-cutting-drive-takes-hold

Fifth Third Bank is implementing additional layoffs following its significant acquisition of Comerica. The bank is also vacating Comerica's former downtown headquarters. These actions indicate a strategic restructuring phase for the financial institution. Further details regarding the scope and impact of these job cuts are expected. The company is actively managing its post-merger operational footprint.

Frisco, Texas

https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2026/07/16/fifth-third-comerica-layoffs-signage-comes-down.html

After spending 25 years at Big O across multiple organizations and technologies, I feel I'm in a good position to share my perspective.

One thing many people misunderstand is how compensation works. In my experience, bonuses, salary increases, and RSU's are not automatic rewards for hard work or tenure. They depend heavily on your manager's recommendation, the leadership chain, and the budget allocated to your organization.

Even if your manager believes you deserve a significant raise, there are organizational constraints. Most teams receive a limited compensation budget, so managers often have to make difficult trade-offs. In a team of 10 people, only a small number (Read 1 or almost 2) may receive meaningful increases while everyone else gets little or nothing. That's simply how the budgeting process works.

Because of that, I've learned not to assume that working harder automatically translates into better compensation. Performance really doesn't matter a lot, but manager advocacy, organizational priorities do have their share.

At Big O, timing and organizational placement often matter as much as talent. You could have the abilities of Elon Musk, but if you're buried in an org that's five or six levels below an EVP, don't expect exceptional career growth. Realistically, you may spend years capped at something like IC4, irrespective of your performance.

The same applies to layoffs. From what I've observed over the years, layoffs are not always a pure reflection of talent or performance. Its just big fish eats small fish. One influential manager saving his and sacrificing some one else. Or its a bid. A manager will be asked how many you can get rid off. Sometimes excellent employees are affected while others remain. That's the reality of working in a large corporation.

My advice is simple: don't spend too much emotional energy trying to predict the next raise cycle or the next round of layoffs. Forums like Layoffs.com and Reddit are full of speculation, but nobody outside leadership truly knows what's going to happen.

Instead, invest in yourself. Keep your skills current, interview occasionally, build your professional network, and make sure you always have options.

One lesson that surprised me after leaving Big O was this: spending decades working on internal systems and technologies doesn't automatically translate into equivalent market value outside the company. Many of the tools, processes, and systems are unique to Big O. In many ways, you have to rebuild your external profile and prove yourself again. If you're fortunate enough to find a role using similar technologies, the transition is easier—but that's not always the case.

This is just my experience after 25 years. Others may have had very different experiences, but I hope this perspective helps someone focus on what they can control rather than worrying about what they can't.

State Street is implementing a workforce reduction as part of a strategic shift. The company anticipates significant severance costs through 2029. This move is tied to an overhaul of its operations utilizing cloud-computing resources. The financial giant aims to boost its profit margins through these changes. This initiative signals a significant operational transformation for the firm.

Boston, Massachusetts

https://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2026/07/16/state-street-plans-large-transformation-headcount.html