4 ms·
Fear of layoffs has increased productivity over the last 6+ months. CEOs are coupling this with their forced return-to-office policies to paint a convenient sto
by BowBun 3y ago
Fear of layoffs has increased productivity over the last 6+ months. CEOs are coupling this with their forced return-to-office policies to paint a convenient story to further both of their goals - trimming the fat and getting back to a status quo they prefer.
- toomuchtodo 3y agoUnprofitable companies will die regardless of theater. Commercial real estate will take the hit eventually. Structural demographics means labor supply shortages for at least a decade. Someone has to get paid to declare the King’s (collectively speaking) intent I suppose. (disclosing bias, contributing to tech organizing efforts and scholar of the macro)
- sheepscreek 3y ago> Someone has to get paid to declare the King’s (collectively speaking) intent I suppose. Can you elaborate on this?
- toomuchtodo 3y agohttps://fortune.com/2023/09/05/amazon-andy-jassy-return-to-office-decisions-echo-chamber-ceo-feelings-work-gleb-tsipursky/ https://fortune.com/2023/09/05/amazon-andy-jassy-return-to-o... ("Amazon’s Andy Jassy shouldn’t make return-to-office decisions in an echo chamber of CEOs driven by feelings") CEOs collectively saying "you must return to office because we say so" driven by feelings, status, etc with media doing the PR lifting.
- SeanAnderson 3y agoYou have a source for "fear of layoffs increases productivity"? That hasn't really been my experience at companies I've worked at which experience layoffs. There's a huge morale hit from the layoff and survivors soldier on, but certainly not with renewed pep.
- BowBun 3y agoYep - https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/us-productivity-surges-second-quarter-labor-costs-growth-slows-2023-08-03/ https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/us-productivity-surges-se... From my experience it's quite obvious that people with families amidst layoffs and a difficult job market will work harder (or look like they are) to ensure they keep their jobs. This is no longer a worker's market, meaning your labor has been devalued and competition has increased. Increased globalization and rising unemployment rates (latest report has a .5% increase) will spell disaster for those of us who keep the same attitudes we enjoyed the last couple decades. I'm just a worker like most people on here, but I'm really steeling myself for what's to come. I don't think now is the time to sit on your laurels and hope that your tenure is enough to keep your job around.
- Racing0461 3y ago> There's a huge morale hit from the layoff and survivors soldier on, but certainly not with renewed pep can confirm here too, myself included.
- LoFiSamurai 3y agoAnd me
- jsocuwl 3y agoYep, same for me
- gedy 3y ago> Fear of layoffs has increased productivity over the last 6+ months That is never the case. You get the desperate types sucking up to management more perhaps. And people complain less about the snacks in kitchen. But people who already deliver start biding their time, looking around, and do the minimal needed to look acceptable.
- milesvp 3y agoYeah, my experience is you don’t really want the people whose “productivity” goes up after a layoff. There are the people who don’t actually produce much, but are able to look like they do. Then there’s the people who used to provide the most value but are now dead inside. They are the one whose measurable productivity may go up, but the output is “wooden”, or maybe hollow, now. It lacks the creativity and big picture thinking that really moves the needle. So you may think you’re getting more output but it’s not impactful anymore.
- hellisothers 3y agoGreat description, seeing this happen at BigCo…
- harryquach 3y agoThe people who provide most of the value generally have options and will leave. At least this has beeny experience.