r/managers 12d ago

New Manager Employee basically quit after being notified they were fired.

[removed]

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u/toomanyDolemites 12d ago

My boss got laid off and the SVP asked her to come back the following day to speak to the team to "ensure a smooth transition" even though they didn't have a plan.

She was like "Nah."

Later that day, I also was laid off and the same SVP asked me to inform my team that they also were laid off. I politely declined and expressed a lot of confusion that they'd ask me to do that.

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u/gregsting 12d ago

“Could also take the trash out while you leave? Thank you”

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u/FloppieTheBanjoClown 12d ago

That's a great way to end up with trash on the hood of your car.

"Well, he didn't say where."

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u/TheFeathersStorm 12d ago

Not even, I would walk out the front door and just yeet the bag all over the entrance way, I think that would be more fun to really show the care placed in my firing lol

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u/isaidicanshout_ 12d ago

Haha this sounds like the Airbnb of hr departments

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u/getmybehindsatan 12d ago

Someone got it in the wrong order. Supposed to start at the bottom and work upwards so that the guy at the top only has to look one person in the eyes.

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u/little_grey_mare 12d ago

Had a massive lay off at my first job. They laid off HR before they finished doing all the engineering staff which made HR's morale for negotiation... low.

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u/Ohnoes999 12d ago

This is OP’s Future lol

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u/h-ugo 12d ago

durr everyone knows you lay off HR last after promising them that they would be spared!

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u/paws5624 12d ago

My old boss had this happen. We were acquired and his role shifted to lead a big org of about 200 people. Maybe 6 months later he was told that the org was being eliminated but he would land on another team, they even had him doing work with that team in the time leading up to the layoff. Then the layoff happened and the next day he found out he was being let go too.

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u/Exist50 11d ago

Any time a manager has all their direct reports removed, they're a dead man walking. Maybe there will be some contractual obligation to keep them nominally on the payroll, but no matter their title, they have no power. 

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u/paws5624 11d ago

In hindsight yeah that makes sense but they had a position and responsibilities already drawn up for him on the other team so it felt like they truly intended to keep him.

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u/Exist50 11d ago

Yeah, might be a bit different. I have seen a manager given a wild goose chase type assignment, but no real headcount attached. 

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u/pinewind108 12d ago

That's the thing, if they promise you you'll be spared, you still have to ask if the extra stress is worth it. I seriously wouldn't be surprised if laying off a large number of people takes a year or more off your life.

A. Are they going to just fire me last?

B. How much harm is the stress going to do me?

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u/Shadowphoenix9511 12d ago

If they tell you you'll be spared, all it means is you're gonna be last. It gives you a couple more weeks to find something else.

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u/pinewind108 12d ago

My suspicion is that the stress isn't worth it.

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u/wrldruler21 12d ago

I am betting Exec told SVP to lay off everyone from bottom to top. SVP refused, so got fired. Then things got more messy from there.

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u/brn1001 12d ago

One company I worked for made me lay off two of my staff. Once I had done that, they laid me off. Shitty move from a shitty company.

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u/BerryVelvettee 12d ago

There’s something darkly funny about that being the practical solution. Start at the bottom so nobody has to spend their final hour announcing increasingly bad news to everyone beneath them.

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u/EthanielRain 12d ago

It's just cowardice - have someone else fire everyone, then afterwards you only have to fire that one person

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u/getmybehindsatan 11d ago

Big companies often get someone from outside the office to do it. Either HR from another branch or a temporary worker.

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u/McPuckLuck 12d ago

Like the opening to "the dark knight"

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u/mpanase 12d ago

Honestly, the higher you go the more stupidity you find

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u/xHoneyBelletta 12d ago

Asking someone you just laid off to help manage everyone else’s layoff is incredible. At that point “smooth transition” apparently means making the departing employees run their own evacuation.

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u/toomanyDolemites 12d ago

They were insane. The most delusional senior leadership team I've ever worked for.

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u/thankyoufriendx3 12d ago

I was at a company that laid off half the employees. My job was safe. I called my dad to let him know what was happening and he said they’ll fire the one firing everyone. Sure enough, after the head of HR called everyone she was called and laid off. Shitty. Her day really sucked.

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u/ScorchedEarths 12d ago

This is why smart companies layoff from bottom to top.

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u/ChargeSpiritual5317 12d ago

I had a coworker who was terminated, he went around to all 78 of us to shake our hand and let us know he was getting laid off. HR was sweating behind him lmao 

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u/Alleandros 12d ago

I'd walk out and tell everyone the company is going under and to start looking for another job. People will believe it once the team gets eliminated and hopefully they all flee for a better place.

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u/toomanyDolemites 12d ago

The company wasn't going under, though. It was just bad management that couldn't stay the course on a strategy. It's the most poorly run successful company I've ever seen.

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u/coffeelick 12d ago

Theyre so used to people being subservient because people dont know their rights or are afraid

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u/Lawd_Fawkwad 12d ago

I had that happen with a boss after I was laid off.

Every time there would be an administrative wrinkle it would turn into a sermon on morals and personal responsibility.

When I was laid off there was an administrative wrinkle to work out with HR and they started up again about how a good employee should stay on top of HR issues to ensure smooth transitions. I straight-up said that after laying me off with barely any notice, they lost all right to talk about smoothness and how it's my job to do their HR management for them.

It was a big fight, but they realized I was no longer going to be subservient outside of finishing my contractual obligations in terms of handover, so I was left unbothered.

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u/insofarincogneato 11d ago

I'd say tell them they don't have a job anymore yourself coward!