Team Siliconindia

·  eNPS drops to 32 amid rising burnout and job insecurity.

·  25,000 job cuts and aggressive AI rollout fuel employee stress.

·  Managerial trust remains high, but disconnect with top leadership grows.

Dell Technologies is also struggling with increasing internal discontent as staff cite increasing stress, job insecurity, and dissatisfaction with draconian return to office (RTO) requirements. Bloomberg, which obtained the findings of Dell's most recent internal "Tell Dell" worker survey, reported morale has dramatically dropped giving added pressure to management already reeling from recent staffing reductions.

One of the strongest gauges of that decline is the company's Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS), which has dropped to 32 precipitously from 63 in 2023 and 48 a year ago. The fall accompanies large scale internal restructuring, including reducing its workforce by about 25,000 employees over two years and pivoting strategically toward AI based business operations.

Survey answers show the picture of growing "AI workload burnout" and declining psychological safety. Most employees perceive a sense of disconnect between top brass and ground level realities, particularly regarding productivity expectations and RTO policies.

"There's ongoing pressure to physically be there and exceed expectations," an anonymous worker said to Bloomberg. "Even when the type of work is more conducive to remote or hybrid models."

Interestingly, only one area stayed strong employee relations with direct managers. Dell's Leader Net Promoter Score remained at 76, showing ongoing faith in middle level management in spite of discontentment with decisions made at the top.

As part of a broader industry trend, Dell has also tightened its RTO policies in 2025 to reimpose in office collaboration. Yet, this has been accompanied by smaller teams and more demanding workloads brought on by instant AI implementation overwhelming many staff members.

The situation underscores a larger dilemma playing out across corporate HR departments: how to drive innovation while safeguarding employee wellbeing.

“AI is being touted as the key to efficiency,” said a Dell team lead in the survey, “but it’s also adding layers of pressure. We’re adapting to new tools, taking on more tasks, and doing it with fewer resources. It’s exhausting.”

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HR Steps In: Acknowledging the Challenges

Responding to the feedback, Dell’s Chief Human Resources Officer Jenn Saavedra acknowledged the concerns and outlined recovery plans, which include:

- Hosting quarterly feedback sessions to promote open dialogue

- Increasing managerial transparency regarding strategies and goals

- Implementing improved real time listening tools for employee input

"We recognize there’s room for improvement,” Saavedra said in an internal memo obtained by CNBC. “Our people are our greatest strength, and we’re committed to enhancing their experience.”

Yet many workers are wary. The cutbacks, changing work demands, and the changing hybrid work model have set up a charged and uncertain atmosphere particularly for remote staff attempting to walk the thin line between being productive and being seen.

Dell's experience is part of an unfolding tech industry trend in which aggressive AI deployments, economic changes, and new workplace dynamics are transforming what it means to work and succeed in the corporate environment today.