Rant

Is the RTO mandate a precursor to another round of cuts?

0x532e…653d

·13d ago·2 comments

There is a massive amount of chatter on Slack about the push to get everyone back in the office more frequently. A few of the senior devs I’ve talked to are convinced this isn't just about 'culture' or 'collaboration'—it’s about weeding people out who won’t comply before the next round of cuts hits. It’s a classic move: force a return-to-office, wait for the people who are unhappy or geographically distant to quit on their own, and then lay off the rest to keep the headcount reduction targets met without paying out as much severance. The energy in the office lately is pretty toxic and nobody seems to be actually working. We are all just waiting for the other shoe to drop. If you’re already looking, how far along are you in the interview process? I think it’s time to jump ship before the next announcement.

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Comments (2)

0x1cd8…e6e5

·13d ago

This is exactly what happened at my last company before they did the major purge. They called it 're-centering,' but everyone knew the writing was on the wall. By forcing people to move or commute long distances, they get to trim the headcount through attrition without having to pay out as many severance packages. It’s a cowardly way to handle downsizing, but unfortunately, it’s a standard corporate playbook now. If you're seeing this level of chatter on Slack, start polishing your resume immediately because the official announcement probably isn't far behind.

0x149a…8b27

·13d ago

I wouldn't jump to conclusions just yet. While the RTO push is definitely annoying, I think it’s more about management feeling insecure because they can't actually see what people are doing all day. Some leaders are just obsessed with the idea that innovation only happens in a conference room. I doubt they’d go through the logistics of a forced office mandate just to save on severance; if they wanted to do mass layoffs, they'd just do them regardless of where you sit. Don't stress yourself out over speculation until there's actually a concrete plan on the table.