#worklifebalance

Seems like the world has gone downhill fast these last few years. Not just at work, but at home.

There suddenly seems to be fraud everywhere, people manipulating other people, people willing to lead children astray, possibly for a little cash.

You can't trust anyone these days. You can only do the best you can. Try to raise your family to have the right values, but with so much corruption around them, what can you do?

Even those places you think that are safe, maybe aren't.

Then, your workplace goes out from under you. You lose your job and there you are with just one more thing to take care of.

Hi all. Been reading this forum while interviewing with Aramco and obviously the situation doesn’t look very promising. But I wanted to ask anyway even if to confirm my negative bias.
I’m in my early 30s, married, no kids. I live and work in Europe earning low 6 digits. I very quickly got to a place where further career progression is very difficult and even if achieved would mean a salary increase incomparable with the increase in hours and responsibilities. I don’t want to say the exact area just in case Aramco HR reads this forum.
The offer is in the 200-300k range. Net it will more than double my salary most likely. I’ll also spend a lot less because I live in probably the most expensive city in Europe where rent is crazy. Most people in the team (including the line manager) are either American or European. The plan would be to stay for a few years, save aggressively and come back to Europe. I know that life is Saudi is strange but I’m sure I’ll be able to survive a few years reading books, playing PS5 and travelling to Europe for holidays a few times a year. I understand that it’s possible for family to visit which would make things easier for me. I also think that in my area Aramco would look pretty good on the resume, and there’s actually an area in which I can grow professionally in Aramco simply because it’s part of the job.

Is this a realistic view given my goal and current position, or am I missing something?

Target tech and product is cooked.

If fidelky thinks he’s going to get anything out his tech team, he’s stoned out of his mind. (I spelled his name wrong - it’s not worth the time spelling it right)

This is the most reactionary/pedestrian group of senior leaders ever assembled. And if you add to that the layer of DEI VPs over the last 8 years, you will get leaders who monitor sprint metrics while the place burns down around them.

Glad that I landed a new job outside Target -staying at target is worse than getting laid off. It’s a complete clown show funded by a bunch of ignorant stock holders and board. good luck all - use Christmas to reassess your career.

Dear Uncle Billy,

I have decided that I do not wish to return to the office. Therefore, I won’t be doing so. This conclusion is final; and just to be clear, entirely beyond your power to control. You may find this frustrating, but rest assured, your ability to compel my presence in the office exists only in your imagination.

Sincerely,

Your #1 Teammate

Optum/UHC jobs exist less to create real value and more to sustain systems, hierarchies, and the appearance of productivity.
People often sense—quietly and uncomfortably—that their work doesn’t truly help customers or society, even while it consumes their time and energy. This disconnect creates fatigue, cynicism, and a low-grade moral injury, especially when work centers on compliance, internal processes, or managing perceptions rather than solving real problems. The deeper issue isn’t effort or competence, but being asked to spend a life maintaining structures instead of meaning—while the work that actually keeps society functioning is undervalued and strained.

Seems to be a Dell thing. Wow!

Every year they remove support services. Every year they want more. Next year we will be fixing our own computers. It will be literally diy everything (hr services, it, travel, hse, visa) oh and don’t work from home you get a roaming cube with no locker. At least it’s equitable, psg21-27. Would blow my mind being a 27 and using weeks of your annual time doing it, hr, admin services. Time value or money!

I never thought I’d say this, but losing my job at Verizon actually feels like the clean break I needed. The place looked solid from the outside, but once I was in it, the long hours, constant pressure, and nonstop scrambling wore me down fast. I kept trying to push through it, but the stress just piled up and it got harder to pretend it was normal. Getting laid off stung for a minute, but a couple weeks later I’m honestly relieved to be out of that environment and figuring out what comes next without that weight on my back.

Lately I keep seeing coworkers walk out for jobs that pay noticeably less (I guess this job market only allows for that), and that says everything about where things stand. The nonstop tension around layoffs has pushed people to a point where any exit feels better than staying. No one even talks about matching their old salaries anymore. The environment has gotten so heavy that most of us just want out before the next wave hits.

I worked in Silicon Valley for years and years. What I found was that most people I worked with, who I thought of as friends, were actually not.

After I left work, I found that the people who I thought were my friends, were actually just people who had lunch with you to keep you as a contact. As soon as you are no longer in the workforce you are no longer worth their time.

Perhaps some of that is my own fault. Perhaps I should have spent more time cultivating friendships with different people... maybe not tech people? Not sure.

I suspect that outside of Silicon Valley things are a bit different. I have relatives that worked in tech and lived in other cities and did not seem to have the obsession with money and the next thing that would bring them more money. They were more focused on family.

The only thing that matters is the family around me. Their safety is pretty much the most important thing. There is nothing else that matters more.

It's very important for me to ensure their safety.

Working here is actually he-l and i would rather take a couple months pay to be laid off than endure more of this. Every employee that still works here is working 1.5x harder and paid the exact same or less every year due to inflation. I havent seen my family in over 6 months

Lately, it feels like my job is taking over everything. I leave the office late, then I'm still checking emails at home (which, I know, my own fault, but some things have to be done if I'm to ever return home). There's just no energy left for my family or anything I enjoy doing. Is anyone else feeling this completely drained?

"Famously brutal Fortune 500 CEO reveals the three rules every American must follow to avoid getting laid off as job apocalypse spreads"

Internet Archive version - https://archive.ph/DwCYF

His 3 points:
1) Go to the office every day - 'One of the problems in our society today is isolation. And working from home stems more isolation.' - Stankey

So he's worried about our mental health now?

2) Take AI training classes, NOW! - dang, I agree with Stankey on something. It's a sad day.

3) Forget loyalty, focus on results - He described the employer-employee relationship as transactional and constantly up for renewal.

Every day, you have to earn your keep at the company,' he said, adding that, 'similarly, the company has to earn the right to your skills.'

Funny. If we really went by his own measure, he should be the first one fired.

I've realized doing excellent work at Citi is frankly an outdated concept. Why exhaust yourself when the real promotion checklist involves laughing at the boss's jokes and volunteering for the flashy, pointless projects? Simply ensure you're the last person they see leaving each night. Productivity is secondary to perfecting the appearance of it.

You have to see this job as just a paycheck, nothing more. Your real purpose needs to be completely outside of this place. It's a losing battle to hope the culture here will ever improve, trust me. Don't let their daily nonsense steal your peace.

I know it's a little sad, but I am desperately looking forward to that week. It feels like the only thing getting me through this month. I don't even remember when this job started being so bad for my head. I just know it is.

So I am one of the people who was home based before and I guess I have to go to the office now until I find something else. Am I going to make more money? Being HBA means I don't have to pay for gas, daycare expenses for two under 5, even food since I can cook at home. Some companies are paying people in the office more money. Is Jones going to do that? I don't get how this benefits me if not. Still having 60% of the office at home but forcing us to come in makes no sense unless there is a financial benefit.

Is anyone else tired of only being motivated by the threat of losing their job? It is absolutely draining to work this way. There is nothing positive left, just constant pressure and anxiety. We deserve better than this.

The company needs to leave block schedules for long term associates. We have earned it with all the mess we have done over the years. Long term associates are the back bone and have earned the company a lot of money. Leave it a line we have a life out side of work

Will they track both Badge In and Badge out?
If so, say goodbye to Coffee Badging.
Your time locked in the zoo will be tracked.

Anyone know how they’re handling this? I’d assume the 2025 reviews won’t count since those are about to be released, and December probably won’t roll into the 2026 cycle either.

I’d hope they are a little more lax with the holidays.

Since the expanded in office 8 hours mandate has it been harder to plan meetings. Most people I know, including me, have hard start and stops now. Good luck trying to set up a call with india, nyc, mn and az. There is a window of like 3 hours. When they treated us like professionals most of us would take calls before going in to the office or after we got home. No more. When the measurement is time and not quality they get time but not quality.

I work as a Coding Analyst I’m going to be quitting. Anyone know if they make work out the two week notice? Debating whether to give a 2 week notice or just quit the last day I would want to work.

I’m hearing some people got moved from exempt to non-exempt (ie hourly pay instead of salary) Is this true? I can’t imagine people being happy about it?

Three times a week.

I have been at this company for 5 months and it’s nothing like it was sold to be in my interviews….. the promise of hybrid work just to be forced back into office. The promise of an upbeat environment just for it to be dull most days. I’ve heard through the grapevine that so many people aren’t happy….. Granted it’s better than Wells in more ways than not lol, but Man!? Am I the only person hired in the least year that feels like I was lied to?

Hertz will enthusiastically fork over a six-figure salary for the prestigious privilege of “leading” people on Teams—usually squeezed somewhere between your mid-morning nap, your daily Starbucks pilgrimage, your hair appointment, a quick load of laundry, a light workout, a heart-to-heart with your work-from-home spouse, and—naturally—your semi-professional pickleball training.

All while the company is basically on fire. Why visit a location when you can watch the flames from the comfort of your couch? Besides, going onsite requires effort, pants, and possibly arranging a babysitter. Absolutely not.

And here’s the best part: you too can snag one of these do-nothing, add-no-value positions. The secret formula? Olympic-level a-s-kissing, a PhD in micromanagement, and the uncanny ability to write “notes” like you’re transcribing a Supreme Court hearing.

Wondering how to land one of these cushy roles? Easy. Hertz will invent a work-from-home, zero-deliverables, six-figure job just for you—as long as they like you. So warm up that nose, dust off those “Excel skills,” and practice looking extremely busy while accomplishing absolutely nothing.

Dreams really do come true.

I’m a TDP who’s been with AT&T for two years. I’m proud of the work I do, I enjoy my team, and I came into this program excited to grow here. But after two years of watching wave after wave of TDPs walk away, I’m convinced leadership needs to hear this whether they want to or not.

Here’s the reality from inside the program:

Most TDPs enjoy the work. Most enjoy their teams. And most came in valuing the opportunities AT&T could offer.

But the 5 day RTO mandate is the single biggest deal breaker, by a mile.
Not culture. Not pay. Not opportunities.
RTO. Five days. Every week.

The average commute for TDPs is 30–60+ minutes each way, often longer for those assigned to Dallas or Atlanta rotations. That’s 10–15 hours a week spent commuting just to sit on Teams calls we could’ve taken from home, using the same AT&T network we sell to customers for remote productivity.

And us TDPs see what leadership refuses to acknowledge:
Almost every competing employer offers hybrid or remote flexibility with higher pay. Once people finish the program, they leave. Not because they want to, but because staying means burning out.

Culture is not slogans or emails, you can’t speak it into existence. It’s what people feel every day.
And right now, we feel exhausted, unheard, and disillusioned.

That August CEO email laid out “values” that many of us don’t recognize in the company’s actions. The takeaway among TDPs wasn’t alignment, it was the sinking realization that leadership has no intention of returning to hybrid work. Morale tanked after that message and any remaining hope went with it.

If leadership wants to retain talent, real talent, the next generation of engineers, analysts, PMs, and leaders then you need to fix what’s actually broken.

TDPs aren’t leaving because the work is hard.
They’re leaving because the system is broken.

A rigid 5 day RTO policy in 2026, at a telecommunications company that literally sells the ability to work from anywhere, is not just outdated it’s self inflicted brain drain.

You don’t have a recruiting problem.
You have a retention crisis… one that’s absolutely solvable. And if you decide not to change then eventually you'll have no one under 40 working here.

Return to hybrid.
Respect people’s time.
Align actions with the culture you claim to value.

Because here’s the part leadership should really pay attention to:

If you keep the 5 day mandate, you will lose the majority of your young talent.
Not gradually, but all at once.

And I say this as someone who wants to stay. But I, like many others, will be exploring other options next year if nothing changes.

I know this forum may not be the “official” place to say this, but it is the only place where employees feel safe being honest. So I hope someone high enough up reads this and does something before this program and the talent pipeline it feeds collapses under the weight of decisions that never needed to be this rigid.

There is no business case for 5 day RTO.
There is no cultural case.
There is only the cost, and you’re already paying it.

Gotta make sure you stay on the right side of management

mas Reviews
Category Pros Cons
Work-Life Balance Some report flexibility and work-from-home options in certain office roles. Generally poor; long hours (often 60-80 hours/week), inconsistent scheduling, and difficulty taking time off are common complaints, especially for field technicians.
Management & Leadership Highly supportive managers are found in some individual teams; safety is often prioritized in the field. A recurring theme of disorganization, lack of support, poor communication, and high turnover among local management.
Pay & Benefits Good benefits package (healthcare, 401k, PTO) and weekly pay are frequently mentioned as positives. High pay and per diem for traveling roles. Many field roles are "piece work" or commission-based, leading to inconsistent or low pay, especially during slow seasons or with job cancellations.
Career & Growth Opportunities to learn valuable trades and gain hands-on experience. Career growth can be stunted by a lack of clear paths and favoritism; high employee turnover rate is a notable concern.
Customer

It means there are no more layoffs. Or there are no more employees to layoff.

Anyone else required to do handoff work all the way through the 19th? So much for giving us time to look for another job.

Not sure about others. Nothing says Happy Holidays like a pink slip...nice.

#iworkatdelluntilthestockstartstodip

A good post from “Neo” in the Citrix Systems forum:

https://www.thelayoff.com/t/1kc3j9256

You work for wealthy people that invested 16 billion dollars to make a substantial profit using whatever playbook is at hand. That's just business.

Clearly and contrary to the vision of the founders of Citrix, they are just interested in low effort approaches because they are efficient money wise. Making everything cheaper and simpler to manage in order to pursue a financial Eye Candy effect, for an eventual sale or a return to the public space, is an example.

There is no interest in keeping strong teams or long term plans for product innovation, its just paint. Layoffs are not personal (and not particular to these guys), they just don't care about keeping you because you are the negative term in their growth/profit equation. So they will minimize you (head count) with all the techniques available in the book (forced % of layoffs, silent firing, colleagues competition for forced rankings, internal divisions, fear, you name it)

So where are you positioned in this game? You are the exploited employee they (or any other company) will squeeze until the product is at visible risk. You will willingly accept recurrent extra loads of work, cause you are scared to loose you livelihood and you have no other choice. Also you are the next person to be laid off (its about when, not if) On the other hand you also have free will, knowledge and skills (don't buy into the AI BS, you are needed), and dignity.

Now, if you know the game, the players, and the rules, you would likely be better off using this platform also to bring ideas on what can be done to make it a bit more fair to you and your colleagues and to minimize irrational expoitation, unethical meassures, and everything else everyone has been posting here. (Never forget this is Corporate America, don't expect miracles)

Complaining, and spreading subjective fear (distict from useful info and heads up) will only work against you as that is the expected behavior.

There are problems, bring ideas to help solve or make them better.
After all, you were all hired for your problem solving skills and intelligence.
Use it!

PD: This post encourages fairness and ethics. Expect pushback, misleading statements, and attacks from some players in the comments section.

You work for wealthy people that invested 16 billion dollars to make a sustantial profit using whatever playbook is at hand. That's just business.

Clearly and contrary to the vision of the founders of Citrix, they are just interested in low effort approaches because they are efficient money wise. Making everything cheaper and simpler to manage in order to pursue a financial Eye Candy effect, for an eventual sale or a return to the public space, is an example.

There is no interest in keeping strong teams or long term plans for product innovation, its just paint. Layoffs are not personal (and not particular to these guys), they just don't care about keeping you because you are the negative term in their growth/profit equation. So they will minimize you (head count) with all the techniques available in the book (forced % of layoffs, silent firing, colleagues competition for forced rankings, internal divisions, fear, you name it)

So where are you positioned in this game? You are the exploited employee they (or any other company) will squeeze until the product is at visible risk. You will willingly accept recurrent extra loads of work, cause you are scared to loose you livelihood and you have no other choice. Also you are the next person to be laid off (its about when, not if) On the other hand you also have free will, knowledge and skills (don't buy into the AI BS, you are needed), and dignity.

Now, if you know the game, the players, and the rules, you would likely be better off using this platform also to bring ideas on what can be done to make it a bit more fair to you and your colleagues and to minimize irrational expoitation, unethical meassures, and everything else everyone has been posting here. (Never forget this is Corporate America, don't expect miracles)

Complaining, and spreading subjective fear (distict from useful info and heads up) will only work against you as that is the expected behavior.

There are problems, bring ideas to help solve or make them better.
After all, you were all hired for your problem solving skills and intelligence.
Use it!

PD: This post encourages fairness and ethics. Expect pushback, misleading statements, and attacks from some players in the comments section.

Year end is approaching, 5 day RTO mandates are looming, and some of the most experienced, high-impact members of our team are choosing to leave for roles elsewhere. Not lazy, quiet contributors bootlickers were most concerning about committing "fraud. But, the people who have held this division together for years, and have constantly pushed the company forward. Turns out, when people know their worth, they look for companies that know it too.

Our manager talks about work/life balance, but cuts and voluntary departures mean the workload just keeps growing. Its becoming exhausting and nobody seems to care. I don't know how the rest of you are dealing with it, but I'm this close to walking away, and I don't even have anything lined up.

I have been giving Sabre only what is necessary to keep my job. With so much stress and uncertainty, going above and beyond no longer seems worth it. The environment is unsustainable, and they will have to face the fallout, and sooner seems more likely than later.