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The market shifting to profitability over growth was the motive, absolutely. But Elon's decimation of Twitter was the means and opportunity. And I think that co
by btown 4y ago
The market shifting to profitability over growth was the motive, absolutely. But Elon's decimation of Twitter was the means and opportunity. And I think that copycatting those means of executing layoffs - 7am email notifications for 20-year employees, minimal consultation with lower-level management about who should be retained - will have significant ramifications on the morale of the remaining workforce. Perhaps some of it was unavoidable to avoid media leaks. But a lot of how all this was executed reflects a massive lack of empathy.
- oxfordmale 4y agoThe layoffs without consultation with the lower levels will indeed leave a bitter taste. It gives the impression that hard work isn't awarded if the top management level has no visibility over your work. This will result in departments spending much more time selling their work, rather than actually doing the work. In the end, this is counterproductive for a company.
- hinkley 4y agoIf you’ve never been in a layoff where you lost someone you trust as much as you trust yourself, it’s a terrible experience that may come to define your time at the company. If they can lay “Dave” off they can lay any of us off. What if I’m next? Or god what if you’re next? I do not want your job and they’ll make me do it if you’re gone. I have to be very careful in meetings now, save 95% of my political capital for self preservation, not team benefit. Not company benefit. You might have a few people who double down and say if this isn’t working we have to try something radically different. But Cassandra is often in the first round of layoffs. Nobody wants to listen to people second guess them so you’re out first. After that, no more ideological fights get won from that point forward. The entire team is in free fall, just trying to do enough to look good and hoping the market corrects before the wheels come off.
- AtlasBarfed 4y agoCassandra the db or the mythical figure?
- hinkley 4y agoThe mythical figure.
- I_AM_A_SMURF 4y agoYep. My previous company laid off so many people that were _clearly_ better than me. In multiple rounds too, it was horrible. I couldn't not stop looking behind my back I had to find a different job.
- jurassic 4y agoI can't wait for Elon's Twitter to fully crater so brainless Wall Street people will stop trying to emulate his approach to cost reduction. It's obvious to everyone paying attention that Elon destroyed that company in the first 30 days and it's only a matter of time until bankruptcy. It blows my mind that anybody could see his approach as an example to emulate.
- I_AM_A_SMURF 4y agoUnfortunately it could be that Twitter survives long enough to be handed off to a saner CEO which restores some sanity. I don't know how many non-tech people would notice if Twitter doesn't ship anything for a year.
- di456 4y agoTwitter isn't mentioned in the article but completely agree that its new CEO does not have a reputation for acting rationally or with empathy. Personally if my employer was acquired by him or his companies I'd shart shopping for a new job immediately.