I' ve been reading about these lay-offs. So sorry to hear all of this, as I am a long time customer, and happened to stumble across this site. I have friends out of state who I believe still wok there. Is the company planning on doing any more rounds in the near future? Just curious.
15 replies (most recent on top)
There will certainly be more layoffs! Look @ the post earnings report after the last quarter. The first statement from JM 'by the end of FY 2017 we want to reduce running costs by $300 million' Just where is this money going to come from?
@200751- Same situation here. Probably a third of our department quit after the layoffs and subsequent fallout, and there was a hiring freeze all the way up till now so we have nobody. What's funny is that the moment something goes wrong people are getting overtime, and the job STILL doesn't get done. This is happening across the store. Great job saving money on labor, guys.
My cheap shit STL was so worried about our cannibalised comp situation that he didnt hire anybody during sept.,oct, or even to replace lost or fired team members..now we come to holiday season and he is in panic mode because we are severally understaffed..the idiot seemed to forget the whole hiring,background check,p.o.a.t test,training takes weeks before a newbie gets to work the floor..talk about lack of foresight..but i expect this outta a brown noser and cheap penny pincher,worried about his EVA bonus..
I suppose team educators will go back to being regular team members???
589 - I definitely had that feeling that signmaker's days were numbered. I couldn't see how that position would be viable long term when the teams were going to be printing their own signs and regional was sending pre printed end cap signs for grocery. All remaining signmakers should be looking for new jobs. I was a signmaker for 10 years and was mercifully laid off, YAY! The position was over for Whole Foods as we all knew it.
They are definitely doing more layoffs once the holidays are over. A marketer during the early phone calls about the layoffs asked to be guaranteed their job after the holidays. The marketing big wigs almost laughed at the mere mention of a garauntee. I have a feeling sign makers are next. They are going to get rid of all sign makers and have signage completed by the teams and sent down directly by the regional office.
Hey 0081, has that been confirmed? Are you able to state you region or state?
In January after the holidays with lower severance.
Yeah funny, I heard that about buyers in being phased out in the MA region, only in the upcoming 365 stores. Yet, I got laid-off in an older store. Some buyers did stay, I think dairy was one of them. Did hear about grocery-wholebody possibly coming together while there. Changes already happened with grocery taking up more real estate in WB dept. Don't see how parts of WB can survive long-term with such high prices on most of the supplements, compared to on-line competition.
The PN just released their store template after Pacific Northwest Leadership Network. The plan is via atrition over the next two years, but we heard that story with buyers. The talk is Grobody, PFoods bakery, Front End, Produce, SeaMeat, and Specialties fate is TBD. That's at least 3 team leaders that will be leaving, the possibility of ATLs/buyers.
How did you stumble upon this site? I am just curious. I think we need to have more customers see this site - that's why I am asking. Were you searching for something specific?
199702 - everyone should worry, probably part-time regular TM's are the only reasonably safe ones. If you are full-time, lucky! You must've been hired over 3 years ago. I've heard that the all buyer's positions will be phased out by 6 months. PBS positions are being consolidated ( maybe that changes by region). They are keeping people through the Holidays, but after that, who knows?
Who else will be layed off? I'm a full-timer. Should I worry?
We hired seasonals so they will be layed off
There are heavy rumors of another round after the holidays and those guys won't get the same severance.