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Buffer Layoffs

open.buffer.com

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Re: Buffer Layoffs

#51

Post by SystemOut »

ndiscussion wrote: post #22
ctvo wrote: post #16

>> We canceled our upcoming team retreat to Berlin. Savings: $400,000. Compared to all their other costs that one stood out the most. 500k savings laying off 10% of your workforce compared to 400k for a team retreat in Berlin. Is this typical?

That does seem astronomical. $4,000 per employee if they have ~100 employees like they say. Anyone think their salaries are absurdly high for some locations and positions? They've got Adnan working as an "Advanced Backend/Frontend Developer" in Sri Lanka, making only $65,104. This actually makes sense to me because Sri Lanka's cost of living is pretty low. But they've got an Advanced "Happiness Hero" which I presume…

That's assuming what they do is straight e-mail support. I'm not sure what a happiness hero does but they might be expected to do much more than e-mail support. In many companies the "success manager" role tends to require people with more education and technical background to do in-depth troubleshooting and real customer interaction.

Re: Buffer Layoffs

#52

Post by jes »

compiler-guy wrote: post #36

This may be a little cynical but: "With our culture of bringing our whole selves to work and seeing team as family, with shared values we live by,..." In the American business world, you are an employee until you aren't. Confusing being an employee with being "family" is a mistake, both for the company and the employee. When times get bad, companies do what it takes to survive, including throwing employees overboard.…

I'd say no relationships, including family relationships, should be maintained if they aren't in the long-term self-interest of all parties.

In other words, every relationship is a trading relationship, and the currency of the realm isn't always, or even often, monetary in nature.

Re: Buffer Layoffs

#53

Post by [deleted] »

ctvo wrote: post #16

>> We canceled our upcoming team retreat to Berlin. Savings: $400,000. Compared to all their other costs that one stood out the most. 500k savings laying off 10% of your workforce compared to 400k for a team retreat in Berlin. Is this typical?

[deleted]

Re: Buffer Layoffs

#55

Post by shemnon42 »

hobo_mark wrote: post #10

I certainly appreciate their openness, and like to follow their progress, but... ...could anyone explain to this naive commenter how it takes 90 (80 for that matter) people to run essentially a 'cronjob as a service' business?

crontab is the easiest part. It's the integration to the moving targets that are social media APIs that you are paying for.

Re: Buffer Layoffs

#56

Post by hammock »

ndiscussion wrote: post #22
ctvo wrote: post #16

>> We canceled our upcoming team retreat to Berlin. Savings: $400,000. Compared to all their other costs that one stood out the most. 500k savings laying off 10% of your workforce compared to 400k for a team retreat in Berlin. Is this typical?

That does seem astronomical. $4,000 per employee if they have ~100 employees like they say. Anyone think their salaries are absurdly high for some locations and positions? They've got Adnan working as an "Advanced Backend/Frontend Developer" in Sri Lanka, making only $65,104. This actually makes sense to me because Sri Lanka's cost of living is pretty low. But they've got an Advanced "Happiness Hero" which I presume…

$4,000 would barely cover business-class airfare between SFBerlin for one employee. Not to mention accommodations, event space, meals and entertainment.

Re: Buffer Layoffs

#57

Post by smuss77 »

I really like the transparency and accountability.

Two questions: Why are the two loans necessary? And, how does a loan get counted as savings?

> Leo and I are committing $100k each in the form of a loan at the lowest possible interest rate, with repayment only when Buffer reaches a healthy financial position. Savings: $200,000.

Re: Buffer Layoffs

#58

Post by compiler-guy »

kordless wrote: post #49
compiler-guy wrote: post #36

This may be a little cynical but: "With our culture of bringing our whole selves to work and seeing team as family, with shared values we live by,..." In the American business world, you are an employee until you aren't. Confusing being an employee with being "family" is a mistake, both for the company and the employee. When times get bad, companies do what it takes to survive, including throwing employees overboard.…

While I agree with your points, I think the ongoing assumption we can effectively emulate the emotional response of the ones who are actually are affected is starting to really get in the way. The expectation humanity can eliminate all suffering is unreasonable. That expectation is, in my humble option, an inefficiency driven by unreasonable sympathy. When I say "unreasonable" I mean laying blame where it isn't ours…

I've both layed people off and been laid off.

I have a pretty good idea of what both sides feel like.

Both sides suck. Really bad. It hurts like hell. Probably worse to be layed off than do the laying off.

Re: Buffer Layoffs

#59

Post by forkandwait »

compiler-guy wrote: post #36

This may be a little cynical but: "With our culture of bringing our whole selves to work and seeing team as family, with shared values we live by,..." In the American business world, you are an employee until you aren't. Confusing being an employee with being "family" is a mistake, both for the company and the employee. When times get bad, companies do what it takes to survive, including throwing employees overboard.…

My rule is this : if I have equity then I am family. No equity, I am just an employee.

Re: Buffer Layoffs

#60

Post by harryh »

jes wrote: post #52
compiler-guy wrote: post #36

This may be a little cynical but: "With our culture of bringing our whole selves to work and seeing team as family, with shared values we live by,..." In the American business world, you are an employee until you aren't. Confusing being an employee with being "family" is a mistake, both for the company and the employee. When times get bad, companies do what it takes to survive, including throwing employees overboard.…

I'd say no relationships, including family relationships, should be maintained if they aren't in the long-term self-interest of all parties. In other words, every relationship is a trading relationship, and the currency of the realm isn't always, or even often, monetary in nature.

How many times do I have to get annoyed at my kid for waking up in the middle of the night before you're OK with me kicking him out of the house? Keep in mind that he is currently 11 months old...
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