Rant

Feeling the squeeze on discretionary spend

0x52c1…6a4f

·2d ago·2 comments

It’s getting pretty obvious that the belt-tightening isn't just for show. My department just had our entire training budget wiped out for the rest of the calendar year, and they’ve put a hard freeze on all external contractors. You can really feel the tension in the office—everyone is just keeping their heads down, doing the bare minimum to not draw attention to themselves. It feels like we’re being managed into a corner where they want to show 'efficiency gains' on paper before making any big structural moves. I’ve been here long enough to know that when they stop spending on people development and start scrutinizing every single expense report, it’s a red flag. If they are actually planning to cut people, I wish they’d just rip the band-aid off instead of letting us sit in this purgatory for months. The lack of transparency from the top is honestly more stressful than the possibility of a RIF itself. Anyone else getting pressured to do more with less while being told there's 'no room for growth' in the current cycle?

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Comments (2)

0x28dd…0833

·2d ago

That sounds all too familiar. I’ve seen this playbook before at other CPG giants, and it’s always the same story: slash the easy stuff like training and contractors to make the quarterly numbers look pretty for shareholders while morale craters. If they’re cutting this deep into operational essentials, it usually signals that the higher-ups are desperate to maintain margins despite declining volume. Protect your sanity, keep your head down, and keep your resume updated in the background. It is not going to get better until they stop chasing short-term paper gains and actually invest in the business again.

0x22d3…b86a

·2d ago

Honestly, it’s refreshing to see someone else calling out the corporate theater. The 'efficiency gains' narrative is just code for squeezing the remaining staff until they burn out. Everyone in the office knows the drill—if you speak up, you’re next on the list for a 'restructuring.' It’s a miserable way to operate, but that is the reality of General Mills right now. Just do what you need to do to collect your paycheck, leave exactly at five, and don't take the corporate gaslighting personally. They’ve made their priorities clear, and it’s definitely not the employees.