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Twitter announces layoffs

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Re: Twitter announces layoffs

#93
post #62

> Emails like this are usually riddled with corporate speak so I'm going to give it to you straight. Well, since you said it that way, I should assume that what comes next will not sound like a steamy pile of meandering corporate speak, right? > The team has been working around the clock to produce streamlined roadmap for Twitter, Vine, and Periscope and they are shaping up to be strong. The roadmap is focused on the…

He said he would give it to you straight, not ELI5. They are focusing on fewer things that they believe are the most valuable, and stopping stuff that isn't core to their purpose. What about this is confusing to you?

[deleted]

Re: Twitter announces layoffs

#94
post #30

Maybe I'm a little self centered but this line: > We will honor them by doing our best to serve all the people that use Twitter. seems a little pep talky to me for the people left. I feel saying this would have been better: > We will honor them with the utmost respect for each and every person. Twitter will go to great lengths to take care of each individual by providing generous exit packages and help finding a new…

Well, I lost my job and it's been really tough on the wife and kids, but at least Twitter will do its best to serve all the people that use Twitter!

Re: Twitter announces layoffs

#95
not sure how related it is, but a few days ago twitter demanded to change my password, after I changed it - they locked my account demanding that I would provide a phone number to tie to the account, yet none of the numbers I provided do work.

May I supposed they'll be even more focused on collection of various marketing data from their users given how little leverage they have over user's personal lives?

Re: Twitter announces layoffs

#96
post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He said he would give it to you straight, not ELI5. They are focusing on fewer things that they believe are the most valuable, and stopping stuff that isn't core to their purpose. What about this is confusing to you?

What you said is as near the definition of "giving it straight" as one might expect to follow his preface. What he actually said is as near the definition of corporate speak as possible. There is no confusion on my part. Perhaps Jack is the one confused about what people mean by "corporate speak".

how would you have phrased it?

Re: Twitter announces layoffs

#97
> Emails like this are usually riddled with corporate speak so I'm going to give it to you straight.

I tried rewriting his email to live up to this promise:

- - -

Team,

We're cutting our workforce to strengthen Twitter as a company.

The team has been deciding how to best streamline Twitter, Vine, and Periscope to put their focus on the projects which will have the greatest impact. Moments, which we launched last week, is a great beginning. It's a peek into the future of how people will see what's going on in the world.

We plan to cut up to 336 people. This was a tough decision, and we'll offer each person a generous exit package and help finding a new job. Product and Engineering are going to make the most changes. Engineering will be smaller but remain the biggest percentage of the organization, and other departments will be cut in parallel.

This isn't easy. We'll honor those who we're losing with our service to all the people who use Twitter. We'll do it with a more purpose-built team. Thank you all for your trust and understanding here. As always, please reach out to me directly with any ideas or questions.

Jack

Re: Twitter announces layoffs

#98
The number, 336, is roughly 10% of their employees - which is pretty much exactly the number that Jack Welch recommended turning over each year to improve the work force.

I often wonder whether these "layoffs" aren't actually layoffs, but simply performance based assessments. It's not like Twitter is shutting down an entire office, or abandoning some technology, and letting everyone associated with that office/technology go - presumably they are being selective on other factors as to who they let go - and I'm guessing that performance is likely a key factor.

If, over the next year, twitter doesn't hire back that 10%, or hires employees in different technologies/positions (I.E. Web developers instead of thick client developers, sales people instead of developers, etc...) - then this is a layoff. But, if headcount returns to the same number, in roughly the same job areas, then this is just a performance based annual rank/yank process.

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