back to article CSC picks up the axe yet again, eyes 800 staffers' quivering necks

CSC is preparing to axe almost 800 staff in the UK and Ireland in what it is calling a "Get Fit" phase, with current proposals to transfer some of these positions to near-shore and offshore centres. Bloodletting is a seemingly annual custom for the scandal-hit ailing integrator. It is just over a year since CSC put 750 workers …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Eh?

    What the hell are "near-shore" locations?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Eh?

      What the hell are "near-shore" locations?

      The set of places that:

      * Aren't London.

      * Aren't generally considered Third World.

      An example is Watford.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Eh?

        "An example is Watford"

        I've been to Watford.

        "Not considered third world".

        Really?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Eh?

      For the US, near-shore means Canada or Mexico.

      For the UK, it usually means to somewhere else in Europe, typically Eastern Europe (i.e. where staff are cheaper).

      CSC already run things like HR from their Eastern European offices.

      Places like India are getting too expensive, and often they don't have the right skill sets. Plus if you need client facing, i.e. a voice on a phone, Eastern Europeans are typically better at English than other 'far' locations.

      1. Mike-H

        Re: Eh?

        For the UK, anywhere outside of London/Reading is classed as "near shore" for salary comparison purposes...

        And India isn't just getting expensive, the attrition rate is pretty horrendous - roughly 50% per year I believe.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Eh?

      Poland, Bulgaria, etc?

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Eh?

      Near-shore means other countries that share similar timezones and cultures but are still cheaper than onshore rates. In CSC terms this means Bulgaria (and possibly South Africa).

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    that's what i said when i received the email lol

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      i'm thinking isle of wight as it's offshore, but near :)

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

  3. SecretSonOfHG

    Pinnacle of corporate double speak

    "We have identified up to 786 existing roles that could be potentially removed from across the UK and Ireland. Our current proposals are that some of these will be transferred to near-shore and offshore centres"

    So in the first sentence you identify some roles that can be removed, only to state in the second sentence that they are not being removed, just moved to a location where they are cheaper. When only one sentence separates the smoke curtain from the actual truth it means basically that you don't care any longer about even keeping some appearance of decency or fairness towards your employees. On the other hand, it is refreshing to hear the truth straight away.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Top Management Skills

    I love this bit:

    "...admitted that it had experienced “issues” with recruiting staff with skills needed to complete contracted work"

    I wonder if they have noticed that firing large numbers of people at regular intervals has a negative effect on one's image as a good employer? It's only a hunch, but I reckon I am onto something here.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Top Management Skills

      @ Evil Graham

      their retention program was certainly a consideration when i was considering working for them, luckily i got a better offer elsewhere.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Top Management Skills

      some of the people employed hardly even have the competence to complete their personal business in the small room at the end of the office, never mind work with com-put-ers.... I swear someone dropped the internet box more than once

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    To quote a well known business person:

    "What would I do? I'd shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders."

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    nearshore??

    nearshore.... thats basically a rubber dinghy moored to an oil rig.....

    we've been told to offshore everything possible to India...where the clue train has yet to arrive

    my entire contract team are looking for jobs, we lose one every month on average, no sign of onshore replacements

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    A total mess

    Purely concentrating on cost, nothing to do with quality. Getting the company ready for sale.

    No pay rises in 4 years

    No bonuses in god knows how long.

    Loss of big customer after big customer.

    Not a place to have a career.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: A total mess

      No bonuses, unless your name is Mikey in which case $35,000,000 in the last 2 years

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: A total mess

        I'm really glad I got our of this toxic company when I did just when you thought staff moral couldn't get any lower.

        http://captiongenerator.com/19655/Mike-dictates-the-company-direction

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: A total mess

        In for the long haul?

        http://finance.yahoo.com/q/it?s=CSC+Insider+Transactions

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: A total mess

      And already vacated 5getting on for 0% of their Glasshouse in Aldershot.

      Not looking good for CSC. Firesale time methinks.

  8. Smoking Gun

    A CSC spokesperson said: "We are making a significant investment in our people to ensure our global workforce is fully aligned with our business and client needs"

    In other words we're sacking 786 because we can do it cheaper in Eastern Europe or elsewhere.

    I hate this sort of bull&*^% corporate language.

    Thanks for your efforts over the years making managers and execs rich, now stuff you, I need another Bentley.

  9. The Godfather
    Unhappy

    In them days....

    Used to rate this business...many, many, many years ago...kind of makes one wonder how it was screwed up over the years..

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Details emerging

    So CSC are axing 47% of the PM space. Is this a worrying indication of projected future work?

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Firing people without any thought for Business

    The current role reduction in UK couldn't have been handled in worse fashion. They are making people redundant in client funded roles, do not have any proper transition plans and have not told the client. They are even making recent joiners, who have passed probation and have not had even first annual appraisal, redundant on the ground that skills may not be fit for future etc (only about 4 months back their skills were good enough to be offered permanent job!). Of course they won't be able to attract talent in future but it looks like they don't care. The company is on suicide path.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Not cost cutting, suicidal revenue cutting

    The current role reduction in UK couldn't have been handled in worse fashion. They are making people redundant in client funded roles, do not have any proper transition plans and have not told the client. They are even making recent joiners, who passed probation and have not had even first annual appraisal, redundant on the ground that skills may not be fit for future etc (only about 4 months back their skills were good enough to be offered permanent job!). Of course they won't be able to attract talent in future but it looks like they don't care. The company is on suicide path.

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