back to article Dump X of your crew, DXC Technologies UK told. Hundreds face axe again

Less than four months after DXC Technologies was created and the Frankenfirm is already embarking on a second round of jobs cuts, with hundreds of frontline support techies earmarked for the chop. The company - an unholy alliance between CSC and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Services - is planning to chop $1bn in costs globally …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Take the money!

    If they are offering you money and its better than the insulting statutory offer, get out! Particularly if you're still under TUPE protection, and you get a generous previous employer's offer (unlikely, I know).

    I've just flown (not a tech employer) on a VR offer, and I'm so pleased. I know several people who will be "in scope" for this, and all I can say is that DXC/HPE or whatever they are this week don't deserve you, your better than this, you shouldn't put up with it. You'd have more independence and job satisfaction as an agricultural labourer. They pay won't be good, but where's the quality of life working for a major ITO?

    1. anothercynic Silver badge

      Re: Take the money!

      I second this wholeheartedly. Go. You may just find you'll get a better job with better prospects from an employer who values what you have to offer.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Take the money!

      Follow the leadership, take the money and run.

      The rest of you bale out now. Without the rump of staff to keep it going the execs will get what they deserve, nothing.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Take the money!

      Did you get the full amount they offered? They stiffed me for £2k by taxing my PILON in the month after I left - when I was working elsewhere.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Our?

    Complete lack of self-awareness saying "our company" to people who about to be chopped...

  3. Dabooka
    FAIL

    'Please stop leaking information'

    Surely that's just asking for trouble, a bit like the Streisand Effect?

    Amateurs

  4. Snorlax Silver badge
    Devil

    Will HP ever learn?

    Reminds me of my happy days at EDS.

    To echo the AC above, take the money and GTFO.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Will HP ever learn?

      Nothing to do with HP, completely separate company now. Not been HP for nearly 2 years now

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Will HP ever learn?

        Meg Whitman, is that you?

      2. Snorlax Silver badge
        Holmes

        Re: Will HP ever learn?

        @Anonymous Coward:"Nothing to do with HP, completely separate company now."

        Rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic is what it is...

      3. circusmole

        Re: Will HP ever learn?

        Yes but DXC still has the dead-hand of HP hanging around like a bad smell.

      4. sawatts

        Re: Will HP ever learn?

        To reuse a to-frequently-relevant quote:

        "Reorganisation is managements' way of covering their tracks"

  5. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge

    Business not coming in then?

    Perhaps prospective customers are wary of signing up for DXC for the following reasons

    1) Who the heck is DXC - as in a change of name does not always work.

    2) Why would they sign up if there is some doubt about their ability to exist let alone have staff with the right expertise to deliver to the customer..

    3) Anything else you care to think of.

    3a) Someone at the top of DXC is looking to depart with a huge pay off in the near future. Get rid, get bonus, get the hell out of town. Shame about the people on the ground. I've been in their shoes (twice)

    1. deive

      Re: Business not coming in then?

      Most likely 3A...

    2. The Godfather

      Re: Business not coming in then?

      Can't help myself DXC sounds so much like 'dicks'

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    P Hands is the common factor ?

    The Reg used to get lot of inside info about Capita and now gets inside info on DXC - just sayin' :)

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: P Hands is the common factor ?

      Won't narrow it down much.. Roles in consultancies and outsourcers are very transient.

  7. This post has been deleted by its author

  8. Throatwarbler Mangrove Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    Dirty spammers

    They keep spamming me (I never signed up for their emails, obviously) and don't respect unsubscribe requests, so fuck 'em. Bummer for the employees, but maybe they'll find work somewhere that doesn't so obviously suck.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I have had the good fortune to work for very good multi-nationals in my day. I should cherish those more. This outfit is a different animal altogether. Barely three months in and the axe falls again - on the same people ! Some of these people are already covering one or two roles that have been left by unfortunate colleagues who have left in previous cuts (maybe that's a failing right there but I get the reasoning for doing it). The strange thing is they tell you it's the role that's impacted. At this rate there will be fewer people working on anything - maybe that's the plan ! Now, I would gladly ask those running the company how we manage to keep the plane flying but they are faceless people. Keyboard accountants. When you get a 'state' visit ( and it's rare) they spout the usual corporate nonsense and throw sweets if you ask a good question, yes, they're entertaining as well. Except it's not funny. Young graduates, young first time mortgage owners cannot plan any sort of future further than six weeks. That's the current time between workforce redundancy cycles. You learn you've escaped one and just weeks later you get the streamlining for growth email. Brutal, immoral, but unfortunately it's their ball. They cry like babies when it get's reported here. Diddums. Tell you what Peter and co. Come visit and tell us all face to face your grand plan, if you have one. We won't hold our breath. PS. Get that you may be busy working on Meg's package.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      " The strange thing is they tell you it's the role that's impacted."

      They have to say that as legally it is the role that is being eliminated, not the person.

      There is no grand plan, or even a strategy that makes any sort of sense. They are a large, centralised US-based corporate and management are simply following Mike Lawrie's orders.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    as a DXCer...

    ... I can tell you that we are not even able to cover our existing commitments. We are selling capabilities that we simply do not have the staff to cover, either in terms of expertise or numbers.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: as a DXCer...

      As a fellow DXCer I concur - this is absolutely correct.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: as a DXCer...

      Came in, once hood lifted it became obvious of the multiple car crashes already experienced with more to come, got out. Thank god!! The inability to provide anything that a customer might want or need, yet still have to listen to the preachings of the digital transformation unicorn ( from a cast of corporate muppets) was something horribly hilarious and deeply depressing, all at once. Run for the hills...

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Services sucks

    Services is a tough game.. especially for the bigger multinationals DXC, IBM GTS, Tata, Infosys etc.

    - Sales guys promise the world...

    - Management of the company that's outsourcing know the service providers do their dirty laundry of taking on staff and then moving their roles off shore (India, China, Brazil - where ever it's cheap).

    - The poor delivery guys holding the can are told more each week to do more with less.

    There is probably still a place for smaller local service providers in each country, where they can maintain some local / more responsive skill sets. Otherwise buyer beware.....

  12. This post has been deleted by its author

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    DXC sounds like a games company to me

    Top selling games.

    1 Screw the customer

    2 Screw the staff

    3 Pay the directors

    4 Pay the dividend

    5 X marks the spot where DXC used to be.

    Any company that has a failure mark (X) in it's title gets what it deserves.

  14. Andytug

    Might as well

    ....whistle DXC...

  15. stephanh

    So when are they going to merge with IBM?

    And get some more "synergies"?

    1. MrT

      Re: So when are they going to merge with IBM?

      Leveraged across all technology platforms? Jolly good, carry on...

      ;-)

  16. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Merge with IBM?

    Funny you should mention that...

    The DXC problem is not a unique one. In the big IT game, revenue is falling at 10% year on year and has been for the last 5 or more years.

    This isn't CSC/HPE/IBM/ATOS/Cap G or anyone else uselessness directly, its just a falling market.

    What happens when a market of any kind falls apart like this? Mergers follow mergers until less players are left in the game.... Could even shrink down to one player left.

    In the meantime, there is a lot of money for investors and directors who can lead this self immolation, asset stripping things down to the final size.

    Looks like there is one man able to captain the Titanic to the bottom of the ocean whilst filling the lifeboats with cash. Could be a bright future for him.

    Its certainly not a bright future for tens of thousands of IT workers who work in big IT.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Merge with IBM?

      So it's a knife fight.

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Outsourcing IT operations is basically just a way to cover up poor quality IT management at a senior level. The idea is to pass on control and supervision to a service provider who claims to specialise in that sort of thing. The truth is, however, that the service provider is no better at managing systems, demand or staff - but now there’s lawyers and contract managers between service buyer and service provider who’s sole role is to “mitigate”. Not to fix issues, not to prevent issues just to maximise or minimise service credits depending on which side they work for.

    Sooner or later the service provider works out that giving a poor service and paying service credits is cheaper than actually having the people with the expertise to run a good service. DXC is certainly there now and I’m sure they’re not alone.

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Hey Nick Wilson

    We now know you spend your time reading this in between planning your rounds of WFR. What a tool you are to ask us not to publish your BS on here - didn't take long did it? You are just Lawrie's latest UK chief puppet so do as he says, collect your bonus and Foxtrot Oscar...

    1. Miss Lincolnshire

      Re: Hey Nick Wilson

      Wilson is an absolute tosser.................................of chocolates to participants in Town Halls.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Hey Nick Wilson

      He doesn't read it. He pays a "security" company to monitor social media and report. Who says privacy is alive and kicking, but then who cares?

  19. cscemployee

    I have worked for CSC for 20 years and I can remember back in 1999 being proud to work for this company. I used to to be a walking advertisement board, I would tell everyone that I bumped into

    " I work for CSC we do the IT for NASA and the American Government!"

    Now in 2017 when anybody asks me I,m embarrased to say who I work for! (DXC).

    If I was to say anything it would not be that I was utterly ashamed of the company I work for! This company treats it staff aboslutely appalingly!

    The last conference call from Nick Wilson was an absolute disgrace!

    The two main things to come out of that conf call were that annual pay reviews were now going to be scrapped! And then we were informed that rounds of job cuts will now take place quarterly!

    No wonder with news like that that you wouldn,t be surprised to find out that in my area we have had 4 people on long term sick and even 1 member of staff sadly pass away!

    Uncerainity leads to unhappiness!! and this constant threat of job losses is leading to an unhappy workforce which is in turn putting peoples health and lives at risk!

    The level of staff moral in the UK is currently at 0%!!

    The message for DXC is simple! Keep offshoring jobs and in effect you will cease to exist!

    Treat your experienced staff with complete disrespect and contempt in effect you will cease to exist!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Completely agree. Don't bother with the calls Nick, no one gives a toss what you say, you're just wasting everyone's time and Mike's bonus with these bs meetings. Any company that outsources to DXC should have a seriously hard look at their IT Director.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Now in 2017 when anybody asks me I,m embarrased to say who I work for! (DXC).

      Same for me and HP. Used to be proud of working for HP. These days I usually just keep saying I work for HPE as it's less embarrassing/confusing than mentioning DXC. And the way things are going, I probably won't be here too long.... they'll get someone in Bangalore ramped up on how to give the appearance that they can do my job, then I'll be gone and the margin on the account will increase ever-so-slightly.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Leadership

      Starts at the top, this guy seems to be leading you to the bottom.

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Same at IBM.

      Good luck.

    5. markmywordz

      I was tipped out of CSC in December 2012 (redundancy) while waiting for a graduated return to work plan following long-term sick leave (work-induced stress - as described by their appointed assessor).

      I too was a walking, talking billboard for CSC in 1999 - and now I'm too embarrassed to admit I worked there for 14 years.

      Nothing appears to have changed since I left. I drive a courier van and I'm paid buttons. Happier than I ever was at this insipid excuse for an employer. For those in any doubt - get the hell out of there; you don't realise how much better you'll feel.

  20. Gareth Douglas

    Send me the letter

    Cannot wait for my redundancy offer from Dixie. The sooner the better please.

  21. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    and another one going...

    I've just been talking to a family member who has worked for HP for many years (now DXC) and he told me morale is at rock bottom and the company has been slipping down the greasy pole for years. He's going to apply for voluntary redundancy. He used to be proud of HP and his job there, but when he told me today he's leaving "DXC" I had to query who they were as I'd never heard of them. He said it doesn't stand for anything, its just marketing hype. He told me things have been going poorly for several years with many roles outsourced to India with just a few Brits left to act as a UK "face" and liaise between the largely Indian workforce and the UK customers. Sounds like he'll be happier out of it anyway.

  22. Snowy Silver badge

    Sure a merger...

    Reminds me when the company I worked for merged with another. Over the course of a couple of years all the sites belonging to my company closed, none of the site of the other company did.

    I wonder who owned the sites that are being closed this round belonged to before the "merger".

    1. Death_Ninja

      Re: Sure a merger...no decimation

      The current load of closures are a mixed bag but mainly former HPE sites because:

      a) HPE had hundreds and hundreds of sites

      b) CSC had already shut most of its sites!

      DXC was 180,000 people on day 1.... it will be 100k at the end of the first three years - that's not speculation, that's fact from the investors day presentation.

      That's a 45% head count reduction, almost every other employee to get the bullet.

      If decimation is the term for a form of Roman army punishment where 1 in 10 soldiers are executed, I'm not sure what the term for this is. Something like Russian roulette with a double barrelled shotgun?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Sure a merger...no decimation

        "it will be 100k at the end of the first three years - that's not speculation, that's fact from the investors day presentation."

        I cannot find a reference to 100k employees after three years in the Investor Day presentation; could you provide a link to the specific information please?

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Sure a merger...no decimation

        More like a mini mag ?

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Sure a merger...no decimation

        The word you are looking for is massacre. The Romans were good at those when required.

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Offshore everything

    As an ex CSC employee, I can say it does not surprise me. A company run by bean counters with no interest in what the company does.

    Suggest you can improve efficiency reduce cost and improve quality with automation and you get slapped down and worked farmed out to India where it is hand cranked by somebody with 6 months experience with a grandiose title of principle IT director.

  24. XCH_CSC_DXC_WhatNext

    It seems as though they are trying to run off the UK business.

    Customers are walking away from DXC because of poor service because the staff are either leaving or so overworked they can't cope.

    I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up with just one or two 'profitable' accounts serviced completely by an offshore workforce and a couple of Execs sat in their ivory tower counting their bonuses!!

  25. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    To TEH Cloud

    For those of us unlucky enough to be DXC Customers, the nice byproduct is the service being that shoddy, we're already getting budgets for putting stuff in the Cloud.

    Just DXC accelerating their own inevitable demise as CSP kills the MSP.

  26. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    DXC is a TLA for

    Double Crossing Company/Corporate/Cowards *

    * Exchange for words of your choice.

  27. Anonymous Coward
    Alert

    DXC's Corporate Colors Reveal All!

    Has anyone noticed how appropriate the DXC corporate colors are? What hidden secrets do these reveal?

    White - In color psychology white is the color of new beginnings, of wiping the slate clean, so to speak. It is the blank canvas waiting to be written upon.This was the big opportunity that ex-HPE and ex-CSC resources were hoping for, only to see in a few early days that DXC would be anything but a safe career.

    Yellow - In color psychology, yellow means happiness and optimism. No wonder there is no much yellow, except perhaps Nick Wilson & Peter Hands, a cowardly pair who would bury any worker for a bonus! Also, what a brilliant whizz to abandon the annual pay round. I presume the funds that have been budgeted for the period will be 'Nick-ed' and 'Hands-ed' to their bonus pot.

    Green - Psychology-wise green symbolizes renewal and growth. This can be seen with the growth of redundancies, it was proudly announced will we be enjoying quarterly waves of redundancies. How about the renewal....... well sooner or later you will be going!

    Black - A mysterious color associated with fear and the unknown (black holes). Usually has a negative connotation (blacklist, black humor, 'black death'). If I was a corporate client looking for an outsource partner, this black should serve as a mega-warning. Also I cannot help from thinking that since the wearing of black has been a long-accepted funeral tradition intended to show respect for the deceased, this might be a premonition for impending doom perhaps?

    So now all is revealed!

  28. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Healthcare 'Vertical' will be sold

    As DXC are not actively selling Lorenzo and there are certainly no takers post RPA and with the great white elephants of Eire, N Ireland, Norway and lets not forget ANZ not coming up trumps the healthcare sector will either be sold off wholesale or vast swathes of Healthcare employee's will be axed. Maybe a few support roles will be spared, but certainly no requirements for deployment, project management, product or testing teams moving forward.

    Likely bidders, Epic, Allscripts, Intersystems or for a lol SystemC.....

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