Here's an example of how SAS copes:
Communicating with your staff. How radical.The Research Triangle-based company has been able to avoid layoffs recently by instituting hiring freezes in all areas except R&D and sales, which continue to grow. And by cutting back on travel and expenses, the company relies more on conference calls and video conferencing to get the job done. CEO Jim Goodnight has engaged employee support by communicating early and often with staff to prepare them for any changes.
Here's another example:
While Mercedes faced the same challenges as the Big Three, the company hunkered down and cut costs by eliminating non-essential travel, reducing temporary staff and placing controls on overtime. When management discovered that further cost reductions were unavoidable, the CEO and executive team (28 people total) accepted pay cuts. The tough choices paid off, resulting in a 10% total reduction of labor costs from mid-2009 to year end.
Executives taking pay cuts. Wow.
Mind you, some people in the comments section take issue with some of the listings. However, others are mentioned there as doing a really good job of not laying people off. One of them is Interstate Batteries (who have a store just around the corner of the Center. That makes me want to patronize them even more.)
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Hi - While I appreciate the spirit of your blog, I also felt you should know the "spin" on SAS and "no layoffs" is another example of corporate falsehood. The company laid off more than 250 people in 2006, including one largescale group that totaled nearly 200. After that, others were let go in smaller numbers through the next year. I was one of them. I DO agree, SAS is a great place to work. They deserve much of the positive attention they receive as an employer of choice. BUT, when you lie about something that's really miniscule in the scheme of things from a business standpoint, what else might you lie about? And for approximately 350 families, it was not a miniscule matter to be laid off.
ReplyDeleteFor one media account of 2006 layoffs, see: http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-148113806/worker-shuffles-sas-again.html
Worker shuffles at SAS again: Cutting jobs in marketing.
The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC)| July 12, 2006
Byline: Anne Krishnan
Jul. 12--For three decades, SAS has been one of the Triangle's most stable employers. But for the second time in three months, the Cary software company is explaining itself in the wake of a restructuring that has already affected 72 employees and will affect dozens more.
On Tuesday, SAS notified fewer than 100 marketing employees that their jobs would be eliminated. All will be given a chance to apply for other jobs at SAS. The move follows a similar reduction of 72 sales positions in May.
Hello, Anonymous.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this illuminating comment. Not hugely surprising, really.
You will note in my original post that I did say that some people took issue with some of the listings. So I realized that the CNN article wasn't really the whole story.