Thread regarding IBM layoffs

From the company that brought you "Dino babies".

I am in that group and have personally observed those slightly older than I treated as liabilities despite their decades of loyalty to the company and expertise. Push for them to retire early and those that rejected that experienced RAs. Meanwhile, there is an initiative to drive early career hires.

Actually I've seen where any from 45 and up you have a target on your back

To be specific, IBM targets US employees over 50. Since IBM got legally penalized for blatant age discrimination, it got much more subtle. IBM added bit more younger employees to make it look less obvious. Since US employee population is much smaller now, IBM now uses PIP instead in an industrial scale which also saves on severance cost.

Investors need to be much more aware of this. Innovation can not happen when the employees loath the company this much. Without innovation, there is no growth.

If you are young, IBM is not the place for you.

IBM treats ALL its employees like liabilities.

I recently retired on reaching 65. Close to 40 years in IBM and there are plenty of occasion where I felt vulnerable.

In your 20s you're told you're too young and inexperienced, to wait your turn. Then you hit 40 and you're told you're too old and washed up. So what is a career nowadays, 10 years?

It's over 40 now anywhere in tech.

If they offered early retirement to over 50 you would see a large number leave. If you are RA'ed then they early retire you and retirement benefits open up. If you resign you that resignation goes against you. If you have done your due diligence on saving to absorb an RA then it makes sense to stay ;)

@b0 Just like in Albany, there appears to be a protected, select—and not-so-secret—club. If you’re part of it, your position often seems secure. But if you’re not, it can feel like you have a target on your back. In my experience, employees over the age of 40 who aren’t part of that inner circle often seem especially vulnerable, with experienced professionals viewed as replaceable in favor of fresh, inexperienced new graduates.

Ironically, this creates frustration throughout the Albany semiconductor ecosystem. Partner companies and research collaborators become accustomed to working with seasoned IBM engineers who understand the history, technology, and day-to-day realities of the work. Then, seemingly overnight, they’re expected to start over with a brand-new hire—forcing those external partners to spend their own time teaching and bringing the new IBM employee up to speed.

That isn’t the responsibility of IBM’s customers, suppliers, or research partners. When institutional knowledge is discarded and experience is undervalued, everyone loses—not just employees, but the entire ecosystem that depends on continuity, expertise, and long-term relationships.

@at , @ac a small correction - the only exception is that evil Indian mother trucker of a CEO, Arvind. He is in his 60's well past the retirement age at IBM, and he thinks his sh-t don't stink.
Well, he's wrong about that.

I would say 40 and over

I am close to 50 and I feel zero competition from most anyone around me!