#worklifebalance

Today I was laid off after 10 years with this company.
Ten years of loyalty, long nights, weekends, holidays, and consistently strong evaluations. And just like that, it was over. No real explanation. No appreciation. Just a call and a decision that felt like I didn’t matter at all.

The timing hurts the most. Right before evaluations and bonuses. After being pushed to work nonstop since January 1st—every week, every weekend, every holiday. I missed family moments, kids’ games, and time I’ll never get back because I believed hard work would protect me. I was wrong.

If I’m being honest, today broke something in me. I cried until I had nothing left, and then I felt something else—clarity. No job is worth losing your life over. No company is worth putting above your family, your marriage, your faith, or your peace.

I started here as a customer service rep and worked my way up to PG29. I fought for every promotion. I gave everything I had. And in the end, none of that mattered. It’s a painful reminder that loyalty in corporate America is often one-sided.

To anyone still working there: protect yourself. Use your PTO. Set boundaries. Stop answering calls at all hours. Stop sacrificing your life for people who won’t hesitate to replace you. When it ends, all you get is a severance letter and a “good luck.”

HR didn’t help. I was handed a name and a website that barely explained anything. That was it.

I’m scared, honestly. In this economy, losing a job is terrifying. But I also know I can’t stay stuck in this pain. I have to believe there’s something better ahead—for me and for everyone else who was laid off.

Is there any point going to office after giving 30 day notice resignation? I'm thinking of just working from home for my 30 day notice resignation?

I gave up on this place a long time ago. It's just the paycheck, and not exactly one to write home about. I've been working really hard on finding something else. Compared to Amazon, the grass is greener elsewhere by definition.

Got a smart watch and I am logging my manager induced stress
That will sit nice in front of the judge at the end, next to my records showing pressure and various tactics meant to side track me.
I am just waiting for them to make the move

Remember it’s not us vs each other. It’s the have vs the have nots, or top vs bottom.

The execs don’t have to badge in, they have dedicated offices, they don’t track hours, they negotiate their pay, and the list goes on.

This is your sign to leave if you are an individual contributor at Medical Solutions (non-management role).

I can't begin to describe the abusive and manipulative workplace they have created since 2023 after layoffs.

What they say and do is not normal, how they treat you is not normal, what they expect of you is not normal.

My life has been infinitely better since leaving. My work valued, expectations lowered, raises higher (no 2% raises there are not normal), wages higher.

Your 5-9 or really even during your 9-5 efforts should be focused entirely on getting out of that place. If you land a remote job double up and milk them until they fire you for as many paychecks as you can.

In case you missed it med sol is a valued as a CCC company by the investment firm (the kind of $h.it that crumbles in recessions).

I'll say it in layman terms: they do not care about you and will lay you off the first chance they get because it pads their bottom line.

There are thousands of other companies that will value you more than this place. Get out and let your managers who have been ordered to manage you out to deal with the stress of manufactured urgency they have created.

This is your sign.

but most of you don't work at NM anymore anyway

…that with the inclement weather expected to shut down the southern half of the United States this next week, rather than doing the right thing and allowing employees on the 3/2 hybrid schedule to just work remote, if there is a building closure due to inclement weather, it does NOT count as an in-office day and employees are expected makes arrangements to fulfill their in-office requirement!

If they think so little of employees during weather (safety) related office closures, what makes you think they have your best interests at heart for anything else? This is the straw that broke the camels back to motivate me to find a new job elsewhere…anywhere! Wow, just wow!

The pressure and job insecurity are literally making me unwell. I'm dealing with anxiety and health issues because of it. I hate that I need to stay here despite how awful it is.

I am considering an offer from a global company where I will mostly be managing/co-developing a team of developers building a product. The downside is I might be the only one on-site in the city and rest are spread across the world. RTO is 2 days a week 40 miles away.

I have a pretty good standing at T but just afraid of all these lay offs and relocations to god knows where. What do you guys think makes sense to do here?

We’re definitely far removed from the Covid pandemic, and it’s gone back to how it was pre March 2020. Employees are coming into office sick due to fear of corrective action for attendance or not meeting the 4 day RTO requirement. But we need to build that culture, which is 100% BS by the way.

I'm done going above and beyond. From now on I'm just doing exactly what's required and keeping a low profile. Putting in extra effort here has never been appreciated, so I'm stopping.

I just keep refreshing this page on my phone. Productivity this morning is zero.

Anyone else up waiting for the impending doom?

In my team, some people ignored the whole hybrid thing and come to office once a month, why should I come in 5 days a week

Note : nothing happened to that person, they are still working away

Of course, under Alvind and the Pipmunks, IBM didn't make the top 10 companies to work for in the US, but maybe they were #1 in India for Alvind's National Vindaloo Curry Toilet Infrastructure. And don't forget the Krabanaugh contributions.

Link --> https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/careers/the-10-best-us-companies-to-work-for-in-2026-according-to-new-glassdoor-report/ar-AA1UEQqi?ocid=msedgntp

The RTO is a bunch of Horse_sh*t, if your team is not all in the same office.
But speaking as someone with 20+ years of experience, I learned a lot from watercooler conversations, hearing a hallway conversations or people in the next cube discussing something. New people working remotely miss out on a ton of extra learning. It's bad for them and it's bad for the company.
So, a respectful exec team would have been thoughtful about their ask.
Does it benefit you and your team if you are all together in the same office? When the answer is Yes, you should put your big boy/girl pants on and get your a-s into the office.
If you are all truly masters at what you do, you do not need to be in the office unless you are hiring young people to learn your craft and then yes, you should be in the office.
If the people being hired to eventually replace you on on a different continent; f'em.

If you're actually in OT
New HR page, but no email yet.
4 days march
5 days sept

Emphasis on 'core' hours and a right to disconnect, potentially for places that do not have laws for it

Last 3 yrs 3/3 , same bonus same increament 1.5%.doesnt even meet inflation. More commute , different managers to adopt, constant priority changes.
I dont understand what else to do to lift to 2 rating.

For anyone who has a large balance of Standout points (Point Perks program) you may want to use them now, just in case you get whacked over the next few weeks.

So Citi wants to run off the older generation but the younger generation (mine) has no desire to work in a culture like this. The younger generation’s personal time off is not something they are willing to sacrifice for the good of Citi’s profits. So who’s going to work here? The older folks are willing to work like that but not the younger people. So now what? If you’re hoping that AI will run rampant, its not there yet. More like years away. So…..who? Sure you’ll find some people who may hire on but they won’t put in the hours that Citi is keen on demanding.

I am considering joining Chase in the US, but is it full 5 days in office? I am coming from another company that is not fully 5 days in office. Do they track attendance here strictly?

Dell Technologies faces criticism for a stressful, micromanaged culture, frequent layoffs creating job insecurity, bureaucracy hindering innovation, and poor work-life balance due to high workloads and recent strict return-to-office mandates. While some see value for new grads, many reviewers cite toxic environments, slow growth, and management issues leading to anxiety and low morale, especially in roles like marketing or support.

Key Issues Raised by Employees:

Culture & Management:

Micromanagement: A top-down, cost-cutting approach leading to high pressure and anxiety.
Toxic Environment: Some teams, especially Marketing, are described as toxic and lacking focus on employee well-being.
Bureaucracy: Slow decision-making, complex funding, and stifled innovation due to hierarchy.

Leadership & Strategy: Perceived lack of clear direction and an "old-school" mindset.

Job Security & Growth:

Frequent Layoffs: Constant "Reduction in Force" (RIF) cycles create fear and uncertainty.

Limited Advancement: Middle management stripped, and growth opportunities feel scarce or slow.

Stagnant Technology: Some feel the company uses outdated tech and misses trends.

Work-Life Balance:
Intense Workloads: Massive workloads and pressure, making breaks difficult.

Return-to-Office Mandates: Recent strict 5-day-a-week office policies have frustrated employees.

Compensation & Recognition:
Low Pay vs. Competition: Some feel pay isn't competitive.
Lack of Rewards: Pressure doesn't always translate to raises or bonuses.

Positive Aspects Mentioned (Often for Entry-Level):
Good for new grads needing experience.
Valuable industry exposure and benefits.
Strong focus on collaboration in some areas.

In essence, many employees feel Dell prioritizes profit over people, leading to stress, low morale, and a sense of being disposable, despite offering potential benefits for those early in their careers.

From now on, any customer that walks into a store should be told to do everything on T-Life the way it’s supposed to be. Give them ZERO help on figuring anything they need out until they get the same frustration as us and just walk out. T-Life is for the customer, let the customer take care of itself the way they are supposed to. I’ll just sit there and root the customer on while I frustrate the sh-t out of them. About 80% of the customers don’t understand the app that’s why reps take their phones and do everything for them. People got hired to sell, not to be teachers! So if a customer takes 3 hours while I sit there and watch them struggle, then at least I’ll make the hourly pay until this all comes to an end or they stop this stupid replace humans sh-t!

The Turtle Response
• A Harvard Business School study found that face-to-face interaction drops by 70% in open layouts.
• This is due to the Turtle Response: when exposed visually from all angles, the amygdala triggers a low-level threat state.
• People retreat into digital shells—headphones, screens—to protect cognitive resources.

Has quitting without notice at Truist become the new normal? In my group, several people have recently left the same day they resigned—no two-week notice, no transition period. That used to be the standard, but it seems like a lot of folks here are walking out on the spot. Is anyone else seeing this happen?

We've all shared our grievances, but I'm curious to know how this will affect others, not just personally, but at work. Many of us are clocking in 50+ hours a week and if they expect us to come in 8-5/5 days a week AND continue working from home... yikes.

Now we have LED lighting going in. It's way too bright. Bring a ball cap.

No matter where you work, you should work toward accumulating a financial base to where you can tell anyone that they can go “F’ yourself”. This takes time, a lifetime in some cases but it can be done.

Don’t spend your raises or bonus’s and funnel your extra money into investments. On raises and bonus’s, put about 10% of that aside to reward yourself but be as frugal as you can be. Now Citi does not make this easy as they are extremely lacking in rewards for a job well done but still this is an achievable goal. Work toward a 1 month pay in liquid cash, then 3 months. Put this amount in a CD at a fixed interest rate. Then work toward 6 months, put this into a CD. Then 9 months, same thing, then a full year same thing. Again this takes time. Once done though, as they mature, you’ll be faced with a decision to cash them in or roll them over. Stagger each CD purchase to where they don’t all mature at once. I get it, I really do. This is not a quick fix, its not a fast turn around and you have to spend money to live. It’s a choice though that’s worth the sacrifice. Max out your 401K always.

Resist the urge to have the latest and greatest Iphone, entertainment center, PC, car….etc. … Work hard toward wealth, not money. Build enough wealth to where you don’t care what Citi does. Enough cash reserves to where if you get let go, its of no significance to your life.

If this is so great and fail safe why am I still working at Citi, you may be thinking. I have a good gig. I’m happy and I get paid. Should Citi ever deem my employment no longer needed, that’s ok too. Should Citi ever do or mandate something that I don’t care for, no issue there, I’ll just walk. Simple as that.

I admit, its not always been that way but like I said, this takes a tremendous amount of time and its exponentially harder to do if you have kids but this is what Citi hinges on. They rely on your desperation, your continued need to have to have this job. The more desperate you are, the more you can be abused and strong armed to work crazy hours with the implied “or else” that’s aways preached. They are masters at telling you several things to enforce this. Key phrases such as “its a bad job market out there” , “better the devil you know”, “other banks operate just like this” and on and on. At times all of this is true, at times only some of it and at times none of it is true.

There are other job sectors to look into you know. Citi would have you believe that this is the only place you can ever work and this is the only place that would ever employ you. It’ll do you no good to ever look anywhere else for a job, this is as good as its ever going to get in your life. This is just not true so don’t buy into it.

Work hard, invest what you can, invest in yourself as well (skillset), be patient, network outside of Citi, take care of your heath and work toward the goal of having enough money to where you walk away anytime you want to.

My early 50s don't have much of a chance to start up again somewhere else. Time to stock market casino time and roll the dice with what I have built up. Do or die time.

Hey fellow managers in banking/tech – thinking of jumping into (or back to) Wells Fargo for that fat comp? Here's the unvarnished math from the trenches (thelayoff.com + earnings calls).

Benefits (Why You'll Go):
Top-tier pay: Base + bonus/RSUs often beat peers by 20-30% in tech/LOB roles.
​Scale exposure: Run massive legacy stacks migrating to cloud/AI (Columbus project, SOA) – resume gold for enterprise gigs.
Network: Charlotte HQ builds C-suite connections if you survive reorgs.

Costs (Why You'll Leave Burnt):
Rank-and-yank he-l: Forced curves mandate 15-20% IM/NI ratings; first-timers get "no initiative" dings despite metrics. Expect IM → PIP → term in 3-6 months, no severance.
​RTO grind: 3-4 days/8 tracked hours ki-ls flexibility; global calls "stolen" by reset clocks tank productivity/morale.
​Efficiency meat grinder: AI/offshore push (3 US → 4 offshore) + layoffs (~70k gone) means constant fear; learn toxic politics over tech.
​Net: 2-3 year stint max. Milk pay, document everything (JIRA wins ignored), pivot to AI governance roles elsewhere. Long-term? Builds grit but scars your management style – unlearn the blame-shifting. Who's hiring WF escapees?
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Recent MBA Fit
Strong no for fresh MBAs: High pay lures, but you'll inherit unlearnable habits like subjective 360s, quota-driven firings, and "efficiency" as code for attrition. Better: Goldman or fintechs teach scalable leadership without the toxicity.
​
Skills Learned vs. Unlearned
Learn: Enterprise-scale ops, regulatory compliance, AI-augmented legacy migration – transferable to Big Tech/banks.
​
Unlearn: We-ponized subjectivity (blame-shifting, seagull management), quiet-quitting survival, offshore distrust – antithetical to healthy cultures. Nets negative for career velocity; 47% attrition risk in year 1 per forums.
​

Belk is seriously cracking down on managers having any hourly position working off the clock. That includes keeping hourly associates waiting to leave at store closing in the evening once clocked out. so once your hourly associates have clocked out they are free to leave. , even if it’s only a 5 minute wait. Also, hourly associates can’t be required to work past scheduled time, if their schedule says an 8pm end shift, that’s when they are free to leave and nothing can be done about it, RVP and HRBP won’t back you up on this.

I think I should say this. I had heard good things about PNC and had found a couple positions I wanted to apply for in Technology, but after hearing the CEO‘s decision on a 5 day work week, and how the morale has completely changed, there is no way that I want to work for PNC. I truly believe I’d be miserable every day. I will take my talent and expertise where employees are cared about and respected.

Well for those fortunate enough to keep their jobs, hearing RTO 5 days a week is coming as part of the new strategy going forward. Gone are the Friday through Monday "4 day weekends" many have been enjoying. Covid is long over...time for everyone to get back in the saddle 5 days a week.

Many of us are just hanging out at work doing the very minimum work that we can get away with without getting fired all awhile laughing about getting paid well for doing almost nothing. Also laughing about how we all know we're being replaced by automation and off-shoring and that we'll eventually be laid off. Well haha yeah we WANT to be laid off! And we ain't leaving until they PAY us to leave! It's so easy to just stay on the payroll and take advantage of all the paid days off for all the many reasons. And we laugh because we just don't care! Also because the company cannot touch us. Haha... no matter what you say, we just don't give a flying fock!

How does the HR calculation work?
Is it considered only 4 days every week or can we do all 16 days together and get 4 days WFH in last week ?

How does it work in other locations ?

Not your performance or dedication. Worse, actually. Being both skilled and experienced pushes you towards the top of the list, because quality is costly. Don't bother trying to prove yourself in the coming weeks, or doing extra work in an attempt to save your job. Definitely don't take being laid off personally. In this stage of corporate greed and extreme short-term thinking, it's more likely a badge of honor than a statement on your worth as an employee.