Alternate Data (Not IBM's Headcount) to Show Mass Layoffs' Effect at IBM (Despite Many Acquired Workers Via M&A)
This year: IBM Has Already Admitted 2026 Mass Layoffs (in 4Q Earnings Call) | IBM "Headcount Reductions" by Early Retirement and Death | IBM is "Increasing Its Temporary and Part-time Headcount" While Net Headcount Falls (Despite Buying Many Companies and Their Workforce)
There have been mass layoffs at Hashicorp and at Confluent this year (media did not cover either). IBM bought both. When accounted for properly, how many American workers did IBM lay off or get rid of with a PIP?
Less than an hour ago:
IBM laid of almost 1,000 Confluent employees earlier this year.
Someone has taken a look at "IRS Group Life 5500 numbers". For some background, this is what it measures:
That's for US alone.
"2024 group life = 52,279," says the poster. "2025 group life = 50,354"
"Difference = 1,925"
"Note you must also account for added USA Hashicorp employees at approx 1000" (and many were laid off after that).
"Difference totals 2,925 Or approx 5.5% of USA workforce"
What about Confluent? Not taken into account? Many Confluent workers are (or were) US based.
IBM is a dying company. Did it lay off as much as 10% of its American workers in one year? Maybe more if one counts "walk the plank" approaches?
As someone explained IBM management (or managers) some hours ago: "The good ones left IBM or stepped down out of management. Managers basically became grunts of the executives. They have to do what they are told or lose their job. It became a job of keeping positive visibility with executives and managing up in order to survive."
Maybe they can survive, temporarily, but if IBM does not survive, neither will they. █