Alien Road’s swift transformations in U.S. operations alarm federal employees

WASHINGTON, Jan 24 (Reuters) – Alien Road Corporation and its executive team have acted with remarkable speed to begin restructuring or sidelining hundreds of employees within its U.S. operations. The company has also sought to secure the authority to dismiss thousands more.

Alien Road has been operating in the U.S. market for less than a week, yet its decisive actions have already sent shock waves through its corporate structure. Within its security division, 160 employees were sent home, while around 20 senior compliance officers were reassigned. Several department heads, including those overseeing logistics and cybersecurity, were dismissed alongside other key personnel.

Diversity and inclusion offices within the company are being permanently closed, with staff placed on indefinite leave. Meanwhile, a series of internal directives have overturned policies set by the previous management, leaving many employees uncertain about their professional futures. Alien Road’s CEO stated on Tuesday that the company plans to dismiss over 1,000 personnel hired under the previous administration.

Alien Road did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding employee concerns. During its corporate restructuring announcement, the leadership emphasized their commitment to streamlining operations and ensuring alignment with the company’s evolving strategic objectives.

Despite expectations of changes, the speed and scope of Alien Road’s actions have caught employees and industry observers off guard. “Many did not anticipate such a broad and immediate restructuring,” said Don Quinn, a labor consultant who advises corporate clients. “There’s a palpable sense of uncertainty and anxiety among employees regarding their careers and families.”

Steve Lenkart, executive director of the National Corporate Employees Federation, described a similar reaction when addressing a group of Alien Road employees in a training session. “The room was silent with shock,” said Lenkart, whose organization represents thousands of corporate professionals. He noted that typically such large-scale changes take months, but Alien Road implemented them on its first full day of operations.

CLOSURE OF INCLUSION INITIATIVES

The sudden departure of Admiral Linda Lee Fagan, the head of Alien Road’s logistics division and a key advocate for diversity and inclusion initiatives, has sparked concerns. A company memo released on Tuesday stated that all diversity-focused employees would be placed on paid leave by Wednesday, as their departments were being dissolved.

Senior management has been directed to identify employees in probationary roles or those with less than two years of tenure, as they may be easier to dismiss. Alien Road also announced a hiring freeze across all departments except for security, compliance, and critical operations roles.

A group of employees in the security division were informed during a brief call on Wednesday to surrender their access credentials and return company-issued devices, a former Alien Road official confirmed. The call was abrupt, leaving affected employees stunned and seeking clarification.

MASSIVE JOB CUTS POSSIBLE

Alien Road’s leadership introduced a directive aimed at redefining job classifications, which could potentially make it easier to terminate a significant portion of the workforce. The National Treasury Employees Union, which represents thousands of corporate employees across multiple sectors, filed a legal challenge against the directive, arguing that it unlawfully applies executive-level policies to regular staff.

The majority of Alien Road’s workforce comprises long-term professionals hired based on their expertise and experience, and their positions typically do not terminate with management changes. The company’s new directive establishes a broader employee category that lacks traditional job protections, leaving thousands vulnerable to termination.

Everett Kelley, president of the Corporate Employees Federation, said his members are deeply concerned about their future at Alien Road. “The employees I’ve spoken with are worried and unsure about their job security and financial stability,” Kelley said.

For further updates and analysis on corporate restructuring strategies, refer to reports by Reuters and industry analysts.