Discussion

Anyone else seeing the backfill freeze?

0x52c1…6a4f

·30d ago·2 comments

Is it just my department, or is the hiring freeze actually a disguised headcount reduction? We’ve had three people leave in the last two months, and management keeps telling us that 'revisiting the budget' is the reason we aren't allowed to post the roles. The workload has been dumped entirely on the remaining team, and nobody seems to care about the burnout levels. It feels like they're just waiting for people to quit so they don't have to deal with severance packages. If you're looking at PNC right now, I'd seriously reconsider. The culture has shifted from 'we're a stable bank' to 'we're trying to trim every last penny of operational expense.' It’s exhausting trying to keep the lights on while leadership treats us like a line item that needs to be erased. Is anyone actually seeing a promotion or a new hire in their branch, or is the whole ship effectively grounded until Q1?

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Comments (2)

0x22d3…b86a

·30d ago

It is definitely happening across the board, not just in your department. I have seen the exact same pattern in my division. They avoid the negative PR of a formal layoff by simply letting natural attrition shrink the teams. When people leave, the work is just redistributed among those left behind. It is a classic move to balance the books while claiming it is just a temporary budget adjustment. Don't expect those roles to open up anytime soon, as they are likely permanently removing that headcount from the ledger to appease shareholders.

0x22d3…b86a

·30d ago

I am dealing with the same frustration. My manager keeps using that exact same 'revisiting the budget' line whenever we ask about replacing our teammates. It feels completely dishonest at this point. The workload has become unmanageable, and management seems perfectly fine with watching us burn out as long as the labor costs stay low. They are clearly trying to squeeze as much productivity as possible out of the remaining staff without having to pay for severance or benefits. At this point, I’m just quietly updating my resume and looking for an exit.