Heard that there was another "Next Step" program recently announced, to start on September 1, 2026 and wrap-up on December 31, 2026. Not sure what organizations are included, but this end date undoubtedly suggests that an RA is being planned for 1Q27. Seems it's also been expanded to include Band 8s (maybe even Band 7s?), whereas the previous one cut-off at Band 9.
Anyone have any more details?
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@jv yes it’s always a great idea to “get rid of the old farts” and hire a bunch of GenZ college hires with no experience or training who also don’t know how to communicate - let alone work more than 3-4 hours a day without crying.
Microsoft is doing something similar.
Next step is a nice way of saying "walk the plank".
Make more room for H1B Visas
IBM is going down the same playbook as before. Eliminate the on shore expense and hire in India. The problem is there are far fewer on shore heads to go after these days due to repeated past RA actions, and the on shore heads have more value chain experience vs previous rounds so you actually start impacting the business. I figure IBM has at least 1 big off shoring left in them which will result in approx 35k remaining on shore. (10k of employees results in approx 700 million in savings) So what’s a CEO to do after that. Perhaps it’s time to look at the off shore headcount and start managing for efficiency vs just labor replacement. If IBM managed for efficiency, the off shore head count could be reduced by 30-40%
Get rid of all the old farts!
@hx IBM retiree insurance won't cover my son and he is too young to qualify for Medicaid - and for the remaining 3 of us it would cost over $40k PER YEAR!! Insane.
I would be lucky to get 9 months from that pitiful Future Health Account. Pathetic. And I was at IBM over 30 years.
@dx you either don't have insurance, buy the IBM retiree insurance, or buy it from the exchange. I found the retiree insurance the best fit. twice of what I was paying employeed, but well worth it to retire.
@ef I retired in April 2026 and use the IBM retiree insurance. It's double what I was paying but absolutely worth it to retire.
@ed it’s not always early new year . Historically they had a fall one and a spring one but this year there was no spring one
@ee
I was recently thinking about retiring before reaching to be Medicare eligible.
I was shocked by the cost for the two of us in the family.
Waiting for the useless POS manager to schedule a 1-1 and announce the good news.
@dx I guess you can go on Obama-care because it's so wonderful
When are layoffs expected? Is it always early new year?
@dx
better to wait for a layoff, to get IBM extended healthcare coverage. If you retire voluntarily, you are on your own.
So a transition to retirement program to incentivize employees to early b retirement? What happens if you are not medicare age eligible? What about health insurance?
@cv there are lots of people in Poughkeepsie with 35+ years or more. They are all ready to go and take all their Z Box experience with them. When they go IBM will be really sc--wed, because IBM never built up a bench to replace these dinosaurs. There is a huge skills gap. New hires never stay more than 2 years because they don't want to learn old1960s technology, deal with the IBM culture and live in Poughkeepsie.
@cr Poughkeepsie is where the Z boxes are manufactured, so I believe it's part of Infrastructure, I think only retirement eligible people got this Next Step opportunity
Is Infrastructure in Poughkeepsie, NY?
If you are on a PIP you are a target for the company...
Managers will start tagging people as low performers and put them in PIPs, then lay them off.
That's how IBM works.
Beginning of the end.
Sounds like the old BDM (business driven mobility) plan. Positive spin for bs action.
@aj
Anyone receiving is out of IBM either voluntarily or involuntarily.
If someone accepts the program, IBM is off the hook for extended healthcare support. A layoff used to offer one year extended health coverage support, It costs IBM $$$$.
Personally, I choose to stick around and wait for 1-1 meeting with the manager. I like to watch the useless POS squirm .
https://www.reddit.com/r/IBM_Employees/s/zKvHvIbxpd
@ae From what I can tell it's a transition to retirement program where you work part time and have to retire by a certain date, but not sure what incentives they give or if its forced.
@OP uh oh that’s not a good sign
What is the next step program?
1q27 is so far off! Most are trying to make it through the month ! Usually there are two a year and it’s been since November already .
When did they start offering it? I am in Infrastructure and have heard nothing.
This next step is a layoff in disguise. It is a joke.
They are offering it in Infrastructure, it offers no incentive, nothing, it's a hard pass. What is interesting, is despite what they say, IBM is in big trouble, and they are desperate given the short "next step" timeline
Where do you get this info from?
The next step programs does not target Indians.