Nokia asks employees to lay themselves off

By Jacqueline Emigh | Published February 24, 2009, 1:26 PM

Nokia today announced a series of voluntary measures for "reducing personnel-related costs" during the global economic crisis, starting with an unusual deal called the Voluntary Resignation Package.

The new package is available for Nokia employees worldwide, except for direct labor and senior executives.

Nokia isn't publicly specifying terms of the voluntary layoff program, except to say that these will vary according to local practices and legislation. The package might be viewed as sort of a "golden parachute," though, in the sense that it will undoubtedly provide some sort of financial compensation and/or benefits when an employee exits the company.

However, unlike Nokia's new Voluntary Resignation Package, traditional golden parachutes are offered only to a company's executives, and typically only in the event that the company is acquired and the executive's employment is involuntarily terminated.

Interested Nokia employees will need to hurry to sign up. After Nokia starts taking applications on March 1, the Voluntary Resignation Package will remain open only until 1,000 workers have applied, closing at the latest on May 31, 2009.

The Finnish phone maker is also now urging its workers to make wider use of short-term unpaid leaves and sabbaticals.

Also during 2009, the company will encourage employees not to "cash in" their holiday time off for cash compensation, "but to take their holiday as time off, as it is intended," Nokia said in a statement.

Comments

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The liberal approach to layoffs.

If only the Nazis had applied the same sense of caring and concern in WW2 we might have a totally different opinion of them now! "Oh, as we are so sensitive and abhor violence and care so much for your welfare, we are providing a basket full of pistols with one round to those in the Pogroms. For the benefit of society at large, all disreputables will please avail yourself to the use of these pistols to address your own suffering only. No pushing, be considerate of your neighbors and please form a single file line. ...Because we care."

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"Nokia today announced a series of voluntary measures for "reducing personnel-related costs" during the global economic crisis"

quit your job to save our asses?

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Unless you knew your job was in serious jeopardy, you'd be nuts to bite on this. If the package was worth more than your unemployment benefits then it would never have been conceived! Does Nokia expect its loyal employees to "take one for the team"? Furthermore, the people most likely to jump on this would be engineers and other prime talent who've been eying greener pastures. This is just asking for corporate brain drain.

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You have to have a pasture to go to and right now there are not many out there.

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"After Nokia starts taking applications on March 1, the Voluntary Resignation Package will remain open only until 1,000 workers have applied, closing at the latest on May 31, 2009."

Yeah, they really need to hurry to lose their jobs.

"Also during 2009, the company will encourage employees not to "cash in" their holiday time off for cash compensation, "but to take their holiday as time off, as it is intended," Nokia said in a statement."

Oh dear, oh dear.

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nokia employee: umm no i think during this recession/depression i'll keep my job kthx... lol

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Actually, it would be a good situation for those who are lucky enough to know that they'll be in a new job soon.

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Exactly what I thought. I think they encouraging people who don't like their jobs to look for another job, and if they can find they'll be awarded.

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