Rebecca Jones’ Post

The world we are living in, with no #ethics, and directed on lying to others: PwC has launched a round of “silent lay-offs” in the UK, with affected staff told they must not inform colleagues why they are leaving and have to follow a “suggested wording” if they want to send goodbye messages. Staff who have been offered a package to leave have been notified individually, the people said. They have been told they must not tell other staff if they accept the offer and to follow a script provided by HR if they want to send leaving notes to colleagues. In guidance sent to affected employees PwC said: “Should you decide to accept this voluntary offer, it is possible for you to send out a note to a defined group, however this must not refer to the voluntary severance offer or the circumstances of leaving (suggested wording for this note is given below but we recognise that you will naturally want to personalise this). “Naturally, it must also not be derogatory to PwC or its employees/partners. It is down to business discretion as to when this message can be sent out and if the business wishes to review messages before they are sent out.” The guidance continues: “The content of your comms should follow this approach . . . ‘Following recent discussions with my [relationship leader], I have taken the decision to leave PwC. It hasn’t been an easy decision for me to reach but now that I have, I am excited about what the future holds for me and the new opportunities on the horizon. I have really enjoyed my time at PwC and the opportunity to work with such talented colleagues.’”

Too many issues with redundancy management at PwC (and at so many other organisations). Keeping valuable intel confidential and secure upon termination, including information that is owned by the organisation and that if threatened can have impact on the organisation and stakeholders, is one thing. A redundancy process is painful and difficult to accept and overcome, and a leaving employee can, in certain situations, pose an insider threat. I recommend you proactively implement accrued monitoring and DLP mechanisms to avoid exfiltration or tampering. Another thing is demanding people to forge their emotional stance (which is certainly not owned by the organisation) in a period where they are feeling abandoned, anxious and even doubting their own capabilities. A redundancy process (which may be necessary for the survival or sustainability of an organisation) does not happen to the employer solely, it has a far bigger impact on the employee as a human being and even on the families that financially depend on them. It is beyond me how basic rules are forgotten - to remember that you are having an impact on a human being and it is your duty to treat them with dignity; and that reputational damage is bigger when you try to withhold information that you already expect will be public anyway. This is the power of information - knowing its value and when integrity may weigh more than confidentiality. https://lnkd.in/dR-tiwcV

PwC's decision to lay off 1,800 employees and restructure its products business highlights the shifting tides in our professional world. This move, driven by the need to adapt to changing market dynamics, raises important questions for all of us: How can we proactively manage our careers in an era where even established giants must pivot and adjust? What can we learn from PwC's strategy that we might apply to our own career planning and organizational resilience? How do we balance innovation and restructuring with the human element of our workforce? As the job market evolves, adaptability and strategic foresight become even more critical. For those impacted, now is the time to seek new opportunities, leverage networks, and embrace change with a forward-thinking mindset. https://lnkd.in/g6EHjAwa

This week, it was reported by Sherin Shibu that dozens of Ernst & Young (EY) employees were fired for watching multiple courses at once during a professional development week. It’s unfortunate—but not for the obvious reason. Let’s be honest, we've all been there. Companies require things like a set number of training hours or credits to be completed each year, and while well-intentioned, much of the content often doesn’t directly improve job performance. So, employees find ways to check the box and move on. That’s not an integrity issue; it’s smart time management. At EY, the real story is L&D's negative impact on operations. Some employees saw little value in the courses, which led to their terminations. Now, the company has to replace them, disrupting operations. This is a costly lesson all companies can learn from. This is also a great opportunity for Learning & Development (L&D) teams. They need to strike a balance between general education and programs that address real (and relevant) business challenges. The reality is very few L&D teams measure their success against business outcomes. This is a key reason why many L&D functions lose budget in cost-cutting environments. As you plan your 2025 investments, it’s important for business operations and human resources to align on the key productivity challenges that need to be solved, the measures that matter most, and the learning programs that can help drive business success while also investing in professional development. #leadershipdevelopment #businesstransformation #culturematters #leadership https://lnkd.in/eB-nCr6e

💡Lessons for HR from PwC's "silent layoffs" Last month, the Financial Times reported that PwC had launched a round of “silent layoffs” in the U.K. Staff were notified individually to be offered a package to leave and were told not to inform colleagues if they accepted, as well as being given a script to follow by HR on the matter. This inevitably leaked to the press, but as employment law expert Louise Taft explains in this article for Compliance Week, it's not unusual for voluntary redundancy agreements to include non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). In fact, NDAs can protect both employers and employees, as Louise explains🔗 ⬇️. If you would like advice on the voluntary redundancy process - whether you are an employer seeking to implement one, or an employee affected by it, don't hesitate to get in touch. #HR #PwC #silentlayoffs #NDA #redundancy #voluntaryredundancy #HRadvice #employment #employmentlaw https://lnkd.in/eZNXC2Sw

This rejection from a senior practising chartered accountant taught me how to spot an awesome employer. Back then, I was contemplating my next career move, thinking about switching to a more laid-back work environment after my intense Big4 stint. I was really impressed by the impact a principal was making at a mid-sized firm, so I decided to reach out. During our talk, he questioned me hard about leaving the prestigious Big4 setting. I openly shared my aspirations with him: - Desire for a less cutthroat atmosphere - Chance to learn more than just taxes - Being able to wear multiple hats But my honesty backfired. The principal doubted my commitment, wondering if I'd stay or use him as a stepping stone to my own practice. Despite my genuine intentions, the conversation ended with a polite rejection. But this rejection taught me a valuable lesson: The importance of finding employers who not only recognize your potential but actively nurture your growth. Great workplaces don't just retain talent; they empower it to fly, even if it means letting go eventually. So, I turn to you: who has been your empowering employer? Give them a shout-out right here and show them how much you appreciate their faith in you!

According to a report by the FT, PwC is not only laying off people and making it look as though those people voluntarily decided to leave but also giving them a script to use in a farewell email to colleagues with the instruction: "This must not refer to the voluntary severance offer or the circumstances of leaving". This is PwC's template message text: "The content of your comms should follow this approach . . . 'Following recent discussions with my [relationship leader], I have taken the decision to leave PwC. It hasn’t been an easy decision for me to reach but now that I have, I am excited about what the future holds for me and the new opportunities on the horizon. I have really enjoyed my time at PwC and the opportunity to work with such talented colleagues.'" This seems to me to be so utterly wrong, it's hard to imagine what PwC was thinking in asking the let-go employees to blatantly lie in their communication to colleagues. Does it seem that way to you? Via 👇🏼 https://lnkd.in/eBpFWCJU

Some highlights from this recent WSJ article which is worth reading: "PwC plans to notify those affected, roughly 2.5% of the workforce at the U.S. unit, in October, the people said... PwC on Wednesday announced its plans for layoffs and the restructuring in a memo to U.S. staff obtained by The Wall Street Journal." It’s apparent that this was an internal communication that was leaked, not a "public announcement" as some are claiming. Still, the fact that PwC chose to communicate this to employees is significant. Professional services firms like the Big Four are not public companies and have essentially no obligation to announce decisions like these. "The firm has said that it has been an outlier among the Big Four over the past two years by not laying off anyone in the U.S. and having no plans to do so. EY, KPMG and Deloitte collectively laid off thousands of U.S. workers in that period." This has indeed been an industry-wide trend. Pandemic over-staffing was a contributing factor, similar to the situation in tech. The article notes that "Many professional-services firms have experienced weaker demand in certain areas due to higher interest rates and weaker economic conditions." In my own search for new opportunities since being laid off from Deloitte, I've encountered a wide range of situations in this unusual market. What has surprised me is the frequent lack of awareness among potential employers about how commonplace these layoffs are. With over 1.5 million employees globally, including 350,000 in the U.S., the Big Four represent a vast pool of talented professionals. Recruiters and hiring managers: familiarizing yourselves with these industry trends could unlock valuable talent for your teams. #BigFour #WorkforceTrends #Layoffs #JobSearch #ProfessionalServices

❗PwC US Announces First Major Layoffs Since 2009 Amid Market Shifts An article from the The Wall Street Journal states that PwC US is making its first formal layoffs in over a decade, with around 1,800 employees—roughly 2.5% of its U.S. workforce—facing job cuts. This move comes as the Big Four accounting firm navigates slowing demand in certain advisory services and undertakes a restructuring of its technology group. The layoffs will primarily impact PwC’s U.S. advisory and products and technology operations, affecting roles from associates to managing directors. While PwC has been an outlier among its peers by not laying off U.S. staff in recent years, this decision aligns with broader market trends where firms are streamlining operations to adapt to changing client needs and economic conditions. According to Paul Griggs, PwC's U.S. leader, this restructuring aims to “create capacity to invest” and to better align the firm with the evolving market landscape. Tim Grady, PwC's U.S. COO, highlighted the firm's focus on “transforming areas of our firm and aligning our workforce to support our strategy.” This development reflects broader changes within the professional services industry, with higher interest rates and economic uncertainties impacting demand. As firms recalibrate to maintain competitiveness, the strategic decisions made now could shape the future of the industry in 2025, which is looking to be a more volatile and less-monopolized landscape. #PwC #Restructuring #Layoffs #FutureOfWork #BusinessStrategy #EconomicTrends