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Ask if there are VRIF (voluntary reduction in force) options open to you. Most of the time there are unless you have some kind of "special" status. I've never

Ask if there are VRIF (voluntary reduction in force) options open to you. Most of the time there are unless you have some kind of "special" status. I've never known a company that is in the process of layoffs not jumping at the chance to VRIF an employee because it is a far cleaner termination and honestly less stressful and upsetting for all involved IMHO.

breischl 4y ago
In general you're probably right. Though once upon a time I tried to volunteer about three different times and never managed to get a package. At one point my manager literally said "Shut up, you're not getting laid off so quit asking!"
noobermin 4y ago
But isn't there an incentive not to do it given the payout they'd have to pay for someone so senior?
- mywittyname 4y ago
  Keeping them around is expensive too.
  - alecbz 4y ago
    But if the senior person is in a role that the company ultimately wants staffed, they're going to need to hire someone else to replace them, who will be new and less effective? (Though OTOH, given the current macro, maybe they can get away with paying the replacement less?)
- satysin 4y ago
  In my personal experience some random senior employee isn't even pennies on the dollar when it comes to the total amount factored into the layoffs that are in the hundreds of millions. The bigger factor is are you in a position that requires the company longer to replace you? If so you may just be in that shit position of being kept on another 6 months until the next round of layoffs and get a package half as good. As the first poster said always get out first if you can as the packages never get better the worse a company does. Never fool yourself into thinking you're too amazing to be let go and that is why you 'survived' this round of layoffs. The worst case is as I said, you are too good to be let go of yet.
alecbz 4y ago
I'd be nervous about asking this unless I'm 100% committed to leaving the company, even if they say "no". Otherwise, you ask, they say "no", but now you've signaled that you're not especially invested in staying at the company, which feels like a negative thing to signal if you're interested in staying. (edit: The idea being that you might get fired "normally" as a result, and not get generous severance.)
- joenot443 4y ago
  You don't need to ask your manager, why not go to HR and stress that this is a sensitive topic you don't want making back to your team? No guarantee they'll honor your privacy, but I'd say it's worth a shot.
  - paledot 4y ago
    HR. Is. Not. Your. Friend.
    - kcplate 4y ago
      This is sage advice here. Never fall into the trap that HR is your advocate, despite what they tell you.
    - satysin 4y ago
      This 100%. HR is there to protect the company. Sometimes that aligns with protecting the employee but when shit hits the fan ask yourself does HR work for you or for the company? I know I sound a bit 'down' saying that but it is an unfortunate reality that companies are not very loyal to their employees when times get tough.
  - modriano 4y ago
    In my experience, HR may act kind, but they are 100% aligned with the company and not you. Giving them a signal that you're open to leaving at a time when they're trying to reduce the cost of resources that are human is a terrible idea if you aren't looking to leave. Find a trusted friend in the company who is a survivor and ask them. Survivors have strong information networks for office politics and know such info.

breischl 4y ago

In general you're probably right. Though once upon a time I tried to volunteer about three different times and never managed to get a package. At one point my manager literally said "Shut up, you're not getting laid off so quit asking!"

noobermin 4y ago

But isn't there an incentive not to do it given the payout they'd have to pay for someone so senior?

mywittyname 4y ago
Keeping them around is expensive too.
- alecbz 4y ago
  But if the senior person is in a role that the company ultimately wants staffed, they're going to need to hire someone else to replace them, who will be new and less effective? (Though OTOH, given the current macro, maybe they can get away with paying the replacement less?)
satysin 4y ago
In my personal experience some random senior employee isn't even pennies on the dollar when it comes to the total amount factored into the layoffs that are in the hundreds of millions. The bigger factor is are you in a position that requires the company longer to replace you? If so you may just be in that shit position of being kept on another 6 months until the next round of layoffs and get a package half as good. As the first poster said always get out first if you can as the packages never get better the worse a company does. Never fool yourself into thinking you're too amazing to be let go and that is why you 'survived' this round of layoffs. The worst case is as I said, you are too good to be let go of yet.

alecbz 4y ago

I'd be nervous about asking this unless I'm 100% committed to leaving the company, even if they say "no". Otherwise, you ask, they say "no", but now you've signaled that you're not especially invested in staying at the company, which feels like a negative thing to signal if you're interested in staying. (edit: The idea being that you might get fired "normally" as a result, and not get generous severance.)

joenot443 4y ago
You don't need to ask your manager, why not go to HR and stress that this is a sensitive topic you don't want making back to your team? No guarantee they'll honor your privacy, but I'd say it's worth a shot.
- paledot 4y ago
  HR. Is. Not. Your. Friend.
  - kcplate 4y ago
    This is sage advice here. Never fall into the trap that HR is your advocate, despite what they tell you.
  - satysin 4y ago
    This 100%. HR is there to protect the company. Sometimes that aligns with protecting the employee but when shit hits the fan ask yourself does HR work for you or for the company? I know I sound a bit 'down' saying that but it is an unfortunate reality that companies are not very loyal to their employees when times get tough.
- modriano 4y ago
  In my experience, HR may act kind, but they are 100% aligned with the company and not you. Giving them a signal that you're open to leaving at a time when they're trying to reduce the cost of resources that are human is a terrible idea if you aren't looking to leave. Find a trusted friend in the company who is a survivor and ask them. Survivors have strong information networks for office politics and know such info.