Well, as I reported several months ago, HP seems intent on closing up shop. They have announced the lay off of 300-400 employees. Speaking with someone at the employment department today, I was told she had spent all day yesterday filing unemployment claims from HP personnel alone.
That is unfortunate in and of itself. However, this isn't what's got me chomping at the bit today. What is disturbing to me is this blatant display of pandering our local chamber of commerce is engaging in. As seen on some local news program earlier in the evening, the chamber is working to help these laid-off HP employees, ensuring they stay in the community, assisting them in any way they can. As the politically-correct speaking chamber employee said (paraphrased): "These aren't minimum wage paying positions. Therefore, we are providing them with as much assistance as we can." What she was really saying was HP employees have more value to the community because their incomes are higher. Therefore, they are more deserving of local agency assistance.
I've never heard of the chamber coming to the aid of folks who get laid off in other industries or other employers. I was officially laid off from the University a couple of months ago as were others in my department. Where was the news story then? Where was the local support?
I'm not saying HP employees aren't deserving of such assistance. They most certainly are. However, this is simply another blaring blemish on the face of our society that proclaims the more income you make and the more prestigious a company in which you work, you are more worthy and valuable to the community at large.
Sorry folks, but until every citizen, whether it's 1 or 100, receives such attention and respect, the dysfunction and division will only continue.
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I have a friend who is being laid off by HP unless she moves to the hellhole of Texas, where she believes they will lay her off and pay her the lower rated unemployment insurance.
Talk about a fate worse than death.
To all those people out there that might be looking at Hewlett Packard as an employer, look again! I am an employee and have been for many years now. Seek a company that cares for its employees. A company that wants to help there FAMILY grow and helps them with an actual budget. At this point, Mark has cut so much of the talent from HP that the clients suffer and they do not even know it. Over the coarse of my employment, I have seen the company transform from a US & International company that is family focused and believes in Bill & Dave’s “HP WAY” to a primarily global company that outsources anyone possible at any cost to the client as long as it is not clear where the degradation is occurring. Going global is great for some things, however HP’s stand, directly from HR, is “GO GLOBAL & PUSH THE NA EMPLOYEE OUT ASAP TO LOWER COST”. Let me highlight five of the top reason to avoid Hewlett Packard!
1. Once you are in the fold, expect that Hewlett Packard will short you as much as possible and in any way possible and even in ways that you never thought possible. (Ex no raise when it is years over due, no pension, loss of vacation accrual, ECT ECT)
2. Once you are in the fold, there is a 90% chance that your functions will change and you will be expected to adapt without any formal training. This is a fun one because people inside HP are great and very smart people. We all sit there and wonder what idiot thought of this. It destroys client confidence and employee confidence all at once. 2 bird 1 stone.
3. Once you are in the fold, if you would like to put in for an advancement or role change, expect it to be much more difficult inside Hewlett Packard than if you were some new person off the street. This may seem to be amazing, but it really is true.
4. Once you are in the fold, if you are unfortunate enough to get any advancement do not expect a raise. Instead, expect a pay decrease because you were honored with this gift of more work and more responsibility. I kid you not!!!!! Another funny note on this one is, if your position is posted as an outside requisition and you as an internal person get the role, they will not give you a pay increase where someone from the outside of the company will get the correct pay! Incredible, but true.
5. Once you are in the fold, expect that there will be a highly touted open door policy that will not be adhered to. (It is a trap) I do not care who you email or talk to, it will get back to you manager and if you have a good one they will understand that they could not fix the issue and just slap you silly.
In summation, I would like to ask that if Mark were to every read this, I would hope that he would wake up and take control of the company that he is driving. Look at Google, it is a great company and treats its employees right. We do not need 5 cafeterias, we just want to be treated with respect. Good people are suffering in HP and everyone looks the other way for the sake of the mighty dollar. (“I can only do what they allow me to”) I wish that the investors would stand up and see that you Mark, are eroding the strength of HP by doing this type of cost reduction. Life is too short to step all over the people that make the engine run on a vehicle that you want to drive. If you really do want the industry’s best talent, wake up and stop pushing us out the door. Bill and Dave would be proud!
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