Comments on: RIFs have Started: Yahoo is First

By: HR World » Blog Archive » Wednesday Links: RIFs, Leadership, Performance Reviews

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 12:14:35 +0000

[...] The RIFs at Yahoo have started. Read about Jerry Yang’s letter to employees announcing the onset here at KnowHR. [...]

By: Frank

Frank — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:51:12 +0000

Ron, it's just no fun. Managing the survivors is important, but often forgotten.

By: kapeters02

kapeters02 — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 19:46:22 +0000

Interesting remarks Ron. I like your comment that “across-the-board salary cuts” should be taken, when possible, to avoid layoffs. I would agree with you that neither parties (employers or employees) benefit from RIFs. Not only do RIFs increase anxiety levels of those being let go, it increases the risk of those “safe” jumping ship as well.

By: Ron Ulrici

Ron Ulrici — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:25:57 +0000

I'm afraid that you are right, Frank – the snowball has just started down the hill. I've helped write a lot of those letters in the past and no matter how well I crafted them, the results were still the same – most employees' anxiety levels skyrocketed and productivity sufferred. Not much good comes from a RIF except immediate relief to the bottom line. Being a class act, HP would institute an accross-the-board salary cut to avoid layoffs.