Politics 28000 Layoffs coming to Disney's domestic theme parks - statement from Josh D'Amaro

[ImperfectPixie]

Very quick. The feature is called mail merge and is widely available. Since these letters were sent to personal email addresses it wouldn't have taken any real time to setup the merge to also include their first name. Depending on their database export, they could've also tossed in a line thanking for X years of service and including the exact total from their personnel file.

TRUTH. With the ability to add personalization in a matter of minutes, there's no excuse for sending a generic letter.

 

[ptaylor]

Once again, this isn't a handful of employees this is 28,000 people! I suppose it would be good for the ego if they had taken that "boiler plate" letter and put everyone's name on it separately, but really you are taking personally what is definable business issue with a definable reason other then poor management. How long would it take to personalize every letter. By the time you would get it, it would give you no time to take any action that might be necessary to your survival. I suppose it is nice to think that Disney, or any other company for that matter, owe you a living for absolutely no services received, but reality has to tell you that it is an unrealistic request considering the circumstances. Not only would they have to personalize 28,000 letters but it would be added to 28,000 envelopes as well bringing the total up to 56,000 names and addresses. Postage alone is pushing $28,000. No one is getting laid off until the end of the year, that give two months to at least try and find alternate employment. When you are working, Disney owes you a living wage, when you are not they actually owe you nothing at all. They could legally tell you today to be gone by tomorrow.

You know how when you get an email from Disney about your stay, it has your name in it? Well, it doesn't take much to do. There would be no cost or difficulty in sending a personalized notification. This is a multi-billion dollar company which can't be bothered to even personalize an email to its workers. It is despicable. Cast with decades of service, notified via a standard mass email. What if the email doesn't even make it through? There are going to be CM's tonight who are totally unaware that they have been let go. Yes Disney has been put in a difficult position, but they have not handled this at all well. Some at the top should be having a very difficult time sleeping at night.

 

[Goofyernmost]

TRUTH. With the ability to add personalization in a matter of minutes, there's no excuse for sending a generic letter.

There are a lot of reasons, we just don't know what they are because we are not inside those offices. It is a foolish point anyway, does having your name on the letter make you any less unemployed when the date comes. Why get stuck on some minor little problem when the bigger one is the virus and what it has done to Disney's income which granted is much bigger then ours, generally, but when combined with fixed expenses makes their incomes look like a small jar of penny's. A layoff doesn't necessarily mean that they will never be called back in. It depends on how long it takes to get Disney back to its normal daily business. Granted many times a company will utilize the situation of weed out those that are no longer performing to expectations. It is much better for them to have that Covid excuse then they were a lousy employee. I worked a number of places where the more years a person has worked a job the less productive they are. It comes under the heading of "things they don't teach you in school".

 

[lazyboy97o]

There are a lot of reasons, we just don't know what they are because we are not inside those offices. It is a foolish point anyway, does having your name on the letter make you any less unemployed when the date comes.

There are zero reasons. Once again you didn’t know about something so you declared it impossible despite it being incredibly easy. And yes, personalization does matter. It’s an extra ten minutes that makes someone look like a bit more than just a number. It’s very much the sort of little thing that helps maintain morale.

 

[wannabeBelle]

There are zero reasons. Once again you didn’t know about something so you declared it impossible despite it being incredibly easy. And yes, personalization does matter. It’s an extra ten minutes that makes someone look like a bit more than just a number. It’s very much the sort of little thing that helps maintain morale.

Kind of the same thing as Josh D'Amaro walking around DS speaking with Cast Members regarding up and coming terminations while restoring his 7 figure salary within days of that. A very "Let them eat cake" kind of mentality. I agree that Disney can compensate any of it's executives any way it sees fit, but to do so in the midst of this kind of unprecedented layoff is tacky at best. Marie

 

[Brian]

There are a lot of reasons, we just don't know what they are because we are not inside those offices. It is a foolish point anyway, does having your name on the letter make you any less unemployed when the date comes. Why get stuck on some minor little problem when the bigger one is the virus and what it has done to Disney's income which granted is much bigger then ours, generally, but when combined with fixed expenses makes their incomes look like a small jar of penny's. A layoff doesn't necessarily mean that they will never be called back in. It depends on how long it takes to get Disney back to its normal daily business. Granted many times a company will utilize the situation of weed out those that are no longer performing to expectations. It is much better for them to have that Covid excuse then they were a lousy employee. I worked a number of places where the more years a person has worked a job the less productive they are. It comes under the heading of "things they don't teach you in school".

I respect your opinion, but from my perspective, they say one thing and do another. They inundate cast with "malarkey" messages of appreciation and recognition, things like "YOU make the magic!" on a daily basis, yet when it comes time to part ways, they can't even be bothered to address "YOU" by name?

What about all the magic "YOU" made?

 

[Lilofan]

Once again, this isn't a handful of employees this is 28,000 people! I suppose it would be good for the ego if they had taken that "boiler plate" letter and put everyone's name on it separately, but really you are taking personally what is definable business issue with a definable reason other then poor management. How long would it take to personalize every letter. By the time you would get it, it would give you no time to take any action that might be necessary to your survival. I suppose it is nice to think that Disney, or any other company for that matter, owe you a living for absolutely no services received, but reality has to tell you that it is an unrealistic request considering the circumstances. Not only would they have to personalize 28,000 letters but it would be added to 28,000 envelopes as well bringing the total up to 56,000 names and addresses. Postage alone is pushing $28,000. No one is getting laid off until the end of the year, that give two months to at least try and find alternate employment. When you are working, Disney owes you a living wage, when you are not they actually owe you nothing at all. They could legally tell you today to be gone by tomorrow.

Not sure where you are getting your info. Cast have started to be laid off in the last several weeks.

 

[Brian]

No one is getting laid off until the end of the year, that give two months to at least try and find alternate employment. When you are working, Disney owes you a living wage, when you are not they actually owe you nothing at all. They could legally tell you today to be gone by tomorrow.

The two months is a requirement under the WARN act, at least given the number of layoffs they're doing. I'm not a betting man, but I'd wager that they would have given two weeks at best, given the opportunity.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Once again you didn’t know about something so you declared it impossible despite it being incredibly easy.

Not only that but he seems to be upset that we care about the cm’s that this is affecting?

 

[crispy]

There are a lot of reasons, we just don't know what they are because we are not inside those offices. It is a foolish point anyway, does having your name on the letter make you any less unemployed when the date comes. Why get stuck on some minor little problem when the bigger one is the virus and what it has done to Disney's income which granted is much bigger then ours, generally, but when combined with fixed expenses makes their incomes look like a small jar of penny's. A layoff doesn't necessarily mean that they will never be called back in. It depends on how long it takes to get Disney back to its normal daily business. Granted many times a company will utilize the situation of weed out those that are no longer performing to expectations. It is much better for them to have that Covid excuse then they were a lousy employee. I worked a number of places where the more years a person has worked a job the less productive they are. It comes under the heading of "things they don't teach you in school".

It's HR 101. When you terminate someone, you do it with as much courtesy and respect as possible. It's not only the right thing to do, but it also helps ease the negativity just a bit. I am sure that many employees were expecting this so they aren't shocked, but now their very last interaction with Disney is receiving a generic letter addressed to "Cast Member." It leaves an unnecessarily bitter taste in people's mouth.

Also, Disney has around 40 million visitors during normal years, and many get personalized letters and packets. A personalized letter is a simple courtesy to loyal employees.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

It's HR 101. When you terminate someone, you do it with as much courtesy and respect as possible. It's not only the right thing to do, but it also helps ease the negativity just a bit. I am sure that many employees were expecting this so they aren't shocked, but now their very last interaction with Disney is receiving a generic letter addressed to "Cast Member." It leaves an unnecessarily bitter taste in people's mouth.

All of this AND it’s bad for employee morale going forward. All of those 28,000 have friends still with the company.

 

[MissingDisney]

Same thing. Separation just sounds better.

Yep, the organization I work for changed over to this term several years ago. Separated implies “you’ll go your way and we will go ours.“ Termination was deemed more harsh, like “we‘re ending you.” It was thought to soften the negativity of the news.

But let’s be honest.....

 

[lazyboy97o]

Yep, the organization I work for changed over to this term several years ago. Separated implies “you’ll go your way and we will go ours.“ Termination was deemed more harsh, like “we‘re ending you.” It was thought to soften the negativity of the news.

But let’s be honest.....

How about what some of our friends across the pond say, “Your position has been made redundant.”? That just sounds weird to me.

 

[drew81]

They won’t even be able to staff a parade with so many more entertainment layoffs.

 

[Gabe1]

The two months is a requirement under the WARN act, at least given the number of layoffs they're doing. I'm not a betting man, but I'd wager that they would have given two weeks at best, given the opportunity.

Similar to the warning the airline employees received.

 

[flynnibus]

Lots of people here who I guess never have seen mass HR mails around RIFs, etc

They are legal vehicles... not 'good bye letters'. All the human factor and hand holding should come from your managers... not the legal paperwork.

 

[flynnibus]

I've never heard that lingo used for termination.

Separated makes me think that Disney is breaking up with the CMs...doesn't help. It doesn't help.

Because you aren't being terminated (fired) - you are being separated from the company.... in both role and obligations.

 

[flynnibus]

TRUTH. With the ability to add personalization in a matter of minutes, there's no excuse for sending a generic letter.

They are always like this (not so much the lack of name - but the lack of personal attention).

This example below is what all impacted people got at my company... doesn't matter if you were 6 months, 20 years... a secretary or sales god. Your HR paperwork is not the place for tearful goodbyes...

 

[crispy]

Lots of people here who I guess never have seen mass HR mails around RIFs, etc

They are legal vehicles... not 'good bye letters'. All the human factor and hand holding should come from your managers... not the legal paperwork.

I work in HR and have have been involved in terminations and mass layoffs. Of course, the legal aspects need to be covered, but this was a terrible send-off. A letter thanking them for their service with a separate legal notification would have made a lot of difference and would cost them nothing.

 

[Ldno]

This is why i want to be my own boss, I got a similar letter and that just shows you that you are just a number to any corporation, doesn‘t matter what you do, they will separate and move on, fill your position up fast and be business as usual. That’s what gave me a different perspective on life.