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SpaceX to lay off 10% of Workforce

latimes.com

21–30 of 557 posts

Re: SpaceX to lay off 10% of Workforce

#21
post #16

They've proven that they can make reusable rocket. In the early days they had around 6 launches per year requiring six separate rockets. Now they're hitting 20-25 launches per year and can carry an even larger payload on each launch. But they claim to be able to fly each rocket ten times before needing to make a new one. So you're going from 6 new rockets per year to 2 new rockets per year. Also rockets are not like…

>So you're going from 6 new rockets per year to 2 new rockets per year. Also rockets are not like your software programs that get rewritten every time a manager feels like it. You stick with what works.

Last year, SpaceX had big plans for new rocket designs, a satellite constellation, and more. Unlike a ravioli canning plant, SpaceX has an option other than cutting down to maintnence staff once cash flow positive. If the worst possible interpretation of this news turns out to be true, they will end up managed like a ravioli canning plant and the hockey stick growth projections will go out the window.

Re: SpaceX to lay off 10% of Workforce

#23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article cites "at least 7,000" actually.

You sure?

Literally from the article:

> The company employed at least 7,000 people in late 2017 when COO Gwynne Shotwell last gave a number — which means around 700 will lose their jobs.

Re: SpaceX to lay off 10% of Workforce

#24
post #5

Had no idea they had 6000 employees..

The article cites "at least 7,000" actually.

It currently says:

> SpaceX, citing a need to get “leaner,” said Friday it will lay off more than 10% of its roughly 6,000 employees.

And no further mention of number of employees. Perhaps a previous edit had a typo.

Re: SpaceX to lay off 10% of Workforce

#28

Some think you should do this annually. "Back when he was running GE, Jack Welch famously argued that leaders should fire the bottom 10 percent of their workforce each year, as part of an orderly continuous improvement process." https://www.inc.com/paul-b-brown/should-you-fire-10-of-your-...

Someone can probably confirm if it's still the case, but based on their Glassdoor reviews they have done stack ranking in the past which is often used to cull the bottom X% each year.

Re: SpaceX to lay off 10% of Workforce

#29
post #16

They've proven that they can make reusable rocket. In the early days they had around 6 launches per year requiring six separate rockets. Now they're hitting 20-25 launches per year and can carry an even larger payload on each launch. But they claim to be able to fly each rocket ten times before needing to make a new one. So you're going from 6 new rockets per year to 2 new rockets per year. Also rockets are not like…

> So you're going from 6 new rockets per year to 2 new rockets per year. Also rockets are not like your software programs that get rewritten every time a manager feels like it. You stick with what works. Last year, SpaceX had big plans for new rocket designs, a satellite constellation, and more. Unlike a ravioli canning plant, SpaceX has an option other than cutting down to maintnence staff once cash flow positive. I…

Why the doom and gloom posts making rather wild assumptions about who is getting laid off or what it signals?
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