Is the corporate side getting quieter?

It’s definitely noticeable. The 'wait and see' approach has become the standard operating procedure lately, and the empty desks are starting to add up. Backfilling roles used to be automatic, but now every vacancy turns into a lengthy conversation about whether the headcount is even necessary. It feels like they are squeezing the margins at the corporate level to protect the bottom line, which is a departure from how things felt a few years ago. Morale is cooling off because nobody knows if their team is next on the list for 'restructuring.'

I’ve seen the same thing. The freeze on hiring isn't just a rumor; it’s being felt in every department that relies on cross-functional support. When you lose a teammate and the workload just gets absorbed by the rest of us, it’s only a matter of time before burnout sets in. Honestly, it’s disappointing to see this shift away from the Costco culture we were promised. It’s hard to feel secure when your peers leave and the chair just stays empty for months on end while management talks about 'operational efficiency' instead of actual people.