Current Events > Big Irony of Microsoft Layoffs..was majority 11+ years HR people

(+) Yeah! (+)

More surprising though, was the fact that the median level of experience held by those who were let go is 11.5 years. So, it's not necessarily true that these are all junior workers with little experience who could be quickly replaced or possibly even have their roles automated. One possible reason for this statistic could be that longer-serving employees tend to receive higher salaries, and cutting them could help businesses meet their financial targets.
However, it is interesting to note that the roles and job functions most affected were within HR, which accounted for 28 percent of all layoffs. There are two possible reasons for this firstly, it follows that if companies are laying off staff, they will also be cutting back on recruitment, and less recruitment means less need for HR staff.
A second, though perhaps just as relevant reason, however, is that HR is an area where some functions are being replaced by automation. Platforms already exist that aim to automate routine tasks related to interviewing and onboarding new hires, such as checking references, verifying identities, and carrying out health and safety assessments. In recent years, its even been reported that companies such as Amazon have used AI to identify low-performing staff and then fire them.
We also get some insight into how the roles that were affected differed between each company. While HR and talent sourcing were most affected at Microsoft and Meta, at Google and Twitter, it was software engineers who took the brunt of the cuts.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2023/01/30/the-real-reasons-for-big-tech-layoffs-at-google-microsoft-meta-and-amazon/?sh=3e4328802b67

Think HR people will start unionizing?

longer-serving employees tend to receive higher salaries

so they'll take the lower salary if it means working at microsoft.

Its cyclical. Ask any older recruiter and theyll tell you theyve been through it before. Then the economy changes and were on top of the world again. I just need to be ready to build my own agency when that happens and protect myself.

you work in HR?
do you tell people to not discuss their pay?

trying to find the post i made on this exact notion a few days ago

what's better for the company? a 10-year veteran engineer being paid $120k? or a fresh-faced engineer being paid $60k? especially with these big companies, you know people will sell their soul to be able to put microsoft/google/etc. on their resumes, so they'll take the lower salary if it means working at microsoft.

the tenured people make more and it works against them come layoff time.

In recent years, its even been reported that companies such as Amazon have used AI to identify low-performing staff and then fire them.

Most places I go, it seems to have too many people to practically fill the need. School systems are famous for it.

Where's all the teacher salaries going? To the back offices for the 400% increase in those positions

3,000+ HR employees sounds like a lot. Im guessing this is Microsoft HR at a complete global level?