Anyone else notice the 'productivity sync' meetings popping up?

Those 'alignment syncs' are a massive red flag. When leadership starts mass-scheduling high-priority meetings with people you don't even know, it’s rarely about actual productivity. It’s almost always a precursor to headcount changes or a stealth restructuring. Your instinct to start backing up your work is spot on; protect your files and update your resume immediately. Don't wait for the invite to hit your calendar again—treat it like an evacuation notice and move your personal data off company hardware while you still have access. It's better to be paranoid than caught unprepared.

Honestly, I’d take that 'just show up and listen' comment from your manager as a sign that they’re either out of the loop or trying to keep you calm while things go south. Whenever you see those generic, cryptic calendar invites from corporate, the reality is that the actual agenda isn't meant for you to participate in—you’re just the audience. If the vibes feel like those old Blind threads about layoffs, trust your gut. Keep your head down, do the bare minimum, and spend your 'productivity sync' hours applying elsewhere. Silence from management is usually just the quiet before the storm.