Comments on: My Thoughts On Best Buy’s “Voluntary Separation” Package

By: Aaron Hillyer

Aaron Hillyer — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 04:13:11 +0000

I applaud the decision and the way that you handled it. Kudos to you and all involved Barry.

By: Brian Hughes

Brian Hughes — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:18:46 +0000

Great leadership and courage – well done! It is this level of transparency that will build trust and engage employees who want to stay. For those that chose to move on, good for them to take control of their own destiny as well – we do create our own happiness and success in the end. I admire your approach Barry.

By: Steve Bendt » Blog Archive » Best Buy Reorg and an Open Social Approach

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:44:15 +0000

[...] Barry Judge, our Chief Marketing Officer blogged about his perspective on the package (read it here). I think he wraps up most people’s feelings who decided to [...]

By: Barry Judge » Blog Archive » My Thoughts On Best Buy’s “Voluntary … | Need Know Before Buy

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 16:33:23 +0000

[...] Original post: Barry Judge » Blog Archive » My Thoughts On Best Buy’s “Voluntary … [...]

By: Derek

Derek — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 07:27:17 +0000

When I saw Best Buy doing this, I was shocked. It is the best thing any corporation has done in the current economic environment. If people are willing to take the package and leave, they probably would have taken it later from a head hunter. So, Best Buy reduced costs and removed people who didn’t bleed blue and yellow.

As Jim Collin’s said in Good to Great, a good-to-great company needs to get the wrong people off of the bus and Best Buy may have done just that.

By: Jackie

Jackie — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:25:04 +0000

A nice move on Best Buy’s part, but still a tough day for many I’m sure.

By: My Diigo Bookmarks 01/13/2009 | AccMan

My Diigo Bookmarks 01/13/2009 | AccMan — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 04:30:31 +0000

[...] Barry Judge » Blog Archive » My Thoughts On Best Buy’s “Voluntary Separation” Package [...]

By: Martin van Dam

Martin van Dam — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:04:20 +0000

Voluntary severance program is common practice in the Netherlands, my home country. The name we use for it is a social plan. And that is what it is. Social.

One of the downfalls is that often the most equipped workers take the package, because they have the most opportunities to find another job. And the less flexible stay with the company.

AbnAmro bypassed that problem by assigning 10% of the people unmissable. They weren’t offered the voluntary severance.
Downfall of that solution is that the other 90% felt miserable. Motivation dropped rapidly.

But bankruptcy is no alternative.

Anyway, I wish you and your college’s all the best!

By: Adam Krajchir

Adam Krajchir — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 20:43:53 +0000

Kudos to you for walking the talk. Integrity is defined by what you do when nobody is watching and there are many effective managers that would have gone about their business and never said a word. Best Buy has been positioning itself around its values and its determination to be more than a retail store, to be a valuable partner to its customers, its employees and its community. The approach you’ve taken, and quite frankly the candid, authentic and transparent approach that you personally have demonstrated for months leading up to this have not only helped to make Best Buy better, but have made Best Buy a truly attractive place for great people to want to work. We are living in a time where hope and inspiration are the most valuable currencies and you continue to provide both.
Great job Barry; Best Buy is extremely lucky to have you and Brian helping them to grow through the next evolution.

By: Mike Tubman

Mike Tubman — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:32:17 +0000

I’ve been with BBY for less than a year — so it would have been easy for me to say I don’t have much vested in this company so, thanks for the cash I’ll just go work at (insert company name here). If I worked somewhere else that might have been an easy choice, but from day one there has always been something different and special about Best Buy.

After the announcement of voluntary packages I spent quite a bit of time weighing both options, one day leaning towards staying and the next leaning towards moving on. Then the openness and honesty of our leaders in the Town Hall, reaffirmed that I made the right choice when I came to BBY and I was making the right choice by staying. The one thing that really resonated with me and brought back my optimism for the future was Kal’s comparison of BBY to a startup. There will be difficult and challenging times ahead, but its these times that bring out the best in us. We’ll be forced to be more agile, more innovative, find more efficient processes, to evolve at what may seem to be an uncomfortable level. But, its this challenge ahead that gives me energy and the desire to take it head on.

Declaration day was indeed a very sad and surreal day. Each hour you learned of another group of peers/friends/mentors leaving, and it started to wear you down. But, then as you started to hear peoples stories and their excitement about the new chapter their were starting in their life you couldn’t help but share in their excitement.

Barry — I will second your sentiments — I’m also very proud to be a part of a company that values and respects its employees to this degree.