#stress

Stockholm syndrome is a psychological response where a victim begins to identify with, develop positive feelings toward, or even defend their captor. It’s one of those paradoxical quirks of the human brain—essentially a survival mechanism triggered by extreme stress and power imbalances.

I absolutely hate when layoffs get announced and then dragged out for weeks before anything actually happens. It feels like mind games designed to crush morale and get people to quit on their own. Leaving everyone to stress and worry every day is inhumane. Just get it over with so people can move on, for goodness sake.

Please tell me why she’s sticking it to us even more with this ecard? It’s employee unappreciation day here. We all feel stressed, abused and unappreciated. Thanks, Gunjan for nothing and for no merit increase. Ugh!

I work in the Service Division, assisting the branches. I want to let you know what is going on. We are all being cross trained on almost all service areas. We were told that it would be a topic or two. They keep adding more and more subject matter in a short amount of time. The training is very minimal, there are a lot of gaps in the training in which we are expected to figure out on the fly when we get a branch call.

I hear the branch team’s frustration when they call in. They are getting transferred around because associates do not know how the answer the question nor the best area to transfer the call. Most of us are doing the best we can with the minimal training. Many of us are SMEs in one area but now are trying our best to answer calls in a totally different area.

This isn’t fair to the branch teams at all. I thank those at the branch that have been patient with me, it really helps to get through a stressful day. I’m sorry the branches are going through this.

Last day was 2/20. Already saw my health improve with my BP and stress coming down. My kids see me more and my quality of life without that workload has been wonderful. Universe was good to remove me from that shedshow happening now. Peace out VZ. You were but only a training ground in my career journey. Only regret was I wish I left before I put more than 10 years in.

It’s been a year since DEI stopped (not taking about race, I’m talking about people who are unqualified and will not put in extra effort to be good at their jobs). Fidelity put us in this position because they promoted the least qualified people for management, rather than laying them off.

Layoffs SHOULD happen, but it needs to focus mostly on lower and middle management. That would literally solve the culture problem, the stress problem, and the culture of fear and stress. Instead of making a few bad apples sad, Fidelity has destroyed itself from the inside out.

Been through multiple rounds myself over the past few years for various reasons. Even though I'm employed now, I can't shake this feeling that it's about to happen again any day. Which, working here, a lot of times makes sense, but it's happening even when we're in an in-between period. Every little rumor, every quiet meeting, my brain immediately goes there. It's like a reflex now. I feel like it's now my default setting.

What is DXC going to do in order to protect its employees from the effects of war and mitigate its impact on us? For now all we got was pushing towards "extra vigilance to protect business" but how about us? Prices will go up, there is stress, and all they can do is trying to force us to some kind of extra care for the business? What the heck?

New manager won't get off my back. I'm good at what I do, yet I'm constantly interrupted and second-guessed. They're relentless, especially with me. No clue if this is just bad management or if I'm being set up for cuts. As if I don't have enough stress already.

It's a wonder any of us can get any work done. It's unhealthy and ki-ls morale. If we had better leadership, they'd realize they're destroying the entire company like this.

It's been relentless, too much stress for way too long. At this rate, we'll all be wrecked by the time it's done. I wish they'd just ripped the bandage off in one go. Finding out bad news immediately hurts less than endless uncertainty. My heart goes out to the Blaine people, but at least they have answers. I truly wish them the best of luck finding good jobs.

I hope those who want out get the news they're waiting for, and those who need to stay get overlooked. I'm in the second group, so it's going to be a rough night.

That would be a welcome change in stress levels for us lowly folks.

We need some help in the field we have been cut down to a skeleton crew and my manager is non-existent.

I’ve been fine up until today. Super nervous
How’s everyone feeling about tomorrow? Very stressful

It's cutting a swath across the staff. The atmosphere is so heavy.

It's become a real problem for me. I may not make the final calls, but that doesn't make it any easier. I now dread coming to work, and I carry specific cases home with me. I'd give anything to get out. I've been applying for months, but nothing yet. I'm genuinely not sure I can keep doing this without lasting damage to my mental health. How do you all deal with it?

You can’t expect people to perform while there’s a constant axe over their heads. Living like this all the fu--ing time is inhumane.

I have been unable to relax this entire weekend. All I can think about is whether I'll still have a job come next week. I'm as prepared as anybody can be, but with the current job market being the way it is, no matter how prepared you are it doesn't seem enough.

I would like to say this is it but I am afraid today was the first of a rough year. Great employees were told today they are no longer needed while others who don’t appear to contribute anything were spared. When the great employees are gone and their mediocre peers remain I see a bleak future for the rest of us.

Is tomorrow really happening? Anyone know what depts may be on the chopping block? I know it might be inevitable, but w/ my wife's cancer treatment it's even more stressful.

Every day I wonder if today's the day. And they expect me to just perform like normal? That's not possible. The stress is all I can think about.

I gave up my evenings, my weekends, everything. And there's still more work waiting. I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. Something's gotta give.

I know this place gets a lot of hate, but I actually like my job. Decent pay, interesting work, great coworkers. Yeah, the layoff stress su-ks, but my experience here has been better than anywhere else I've worked. Can't be the only one, right?

Unless they spring some nasty surprise at the last moment. I don't even like my job, but I'm still relieved. I'm juggling so much in life right now that losing this job would probably bring it all crashing down. I imagine most of you are in the same position. What I really hate is that we've been brought to this, fighting tooth and nail for a job we'd gladly ditch for something better. There don't seem to be many better ones these days.

I don't know how we're supposed to manage that much stress.

I just need them to get it over with. If I’m laid off, so be it. But the constant waiting and stress are wrecking my mental health and starting to affect my physical health too. I need this to be over.

With all of this stress from increased expectations, career stagnation, and drop in benefits, I’d like to remind you is that all it takes to go on short term disability for mental health is 3 doctors appointments that say you’re depressed.

Once layoffs start, are they usually completed the same day? This’ll be my first layoff since I joined, and I’m more stressed than I’ve ever been. I’m worried one of the criteria will be last in, first out, which means I’m probably gone. I don’t think I can handle this dragging on for more than a day once it starts.

I calculate my savings every single week just to see if I can afford to quit. The daily stress and negativity have long stopped being worth the salary. It's gotten so bad that I've been considering some very risky financial choices just for my peace of mind. And to think I used to love my job and recommend Cisco to anybody and everybody as a great workplace.

Verizon has conditioned me for panic. An unexpected invite from my manager? My stomach drops. A sudden team call? I assume it's bad news. The constant low-level te---r is the new normal.

Lately I feel like I literally have nothing left to give. The relentless pressure we have to deal with non-stop and the constant stress have drained me completely dry. I'm absolutely exhausted. The one and only reason I'm still here is that finding another job is impossible right now.

We're not living in some golden age where jobs are easy to find. I'm freaking out, and by the looks of it, the vast majority of people around me are too.

I usually go home around 2pm to avoid traffic and continue working between 2:30 to 6:30. Now I have to stay until 5pm and feel stressed out due to the heavy traffic. Since I stayed until 5pm, no more work at home.

My working hour is less than before after the 8 hours rule is enforced.

I've hit my limit. The environment is so toxic and the stress is constant. At this point, a layoff with severance sounds like a gift, a paid ticket out of this hellhole. I just need an escape.

It's so tiring to be focused on the possibility of losing your job 24/7. I'm always saving money to the point I can't enjoy my hobbies anymore. I don't know the last time I bought a book or a game because I can't justify the expense even if I can afford it because I could potentially be laid off any day now. This is a very sad way to live and nobody responsible for it seems to care.

That would make sense, it's pay week. I don't know how we're supposed to keep it together until this wave is over. I'm already stressed out of my mind.

We can assume some of the layoff rumors are true. But it would be a huge relief just to know the timeline. Stressing constantly, expecting every week to be the week, is too much. If the job market were better right now, fewer of us would be worried out of our minds. But as things stand, losing this job could quickly become a personal catastrophe.