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“About one-third of Basecamp employees accepted buyouts today”

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Re: “About one-third of Basecamp employees accepted buyouts today”

#981

Post by javagram »

tweetle_beetle wrote: post #932
dbattaglia wrote: post #918

In fall 2008 I moved from Long Island to New Hampshire (for family reasons) and found a job in a small niche B2B shop doing C# Windows apps. On my first day of work, I notice the receptionist desk has a stack of McCain/Palin 2008 bumper stickers. The next couple of months were filled with employees talking non-stop about the election, from their deeply conservative point of view. Being quite progressive left-leaning…

I think you're right, but I also think that in reality it is very difficult to draw a line between personal political discussions and company policy decisions in the modern world. Yes it's always boring when someone in the workplace makes bold political statements that no one asked for, but what happens when the company you work for outsources jobs abroad, is making questionable HR decisions, etc. I'm not sure it's r…

> but what happens when the company you work for outsources jobs abroad, is making questionable HR decisions, etc. I'm not sure it's right to say that any discussion about anything political is banned when a company policy that affects an employee can be political in nature.

Banning labor-related discussions is illegal in the USA, where Basecamp is based (Protected Concerted Activity). There is also the option of unionization to provide a further structure to protect your legal rights to discuss with management issues around pay, HR, and outsourcing.

Re: “About one-third of Basecamp employees accepted buyouts today”

#982

Post by JPKab »

predaking wrote: post #969
JPKab wrote: post #929

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I worked years ago in defense contracting, and remember being treated in a hostile fashion for admitting I was an Obama supporter. Mostly good people, but super isolating when they would talk politics. And I should note, that the pattern I noticed then and notice now with my mindlessly, tribally left colleagues who are mirror images of the right wing lemmings in defense: People who are really into politics at work ar…

“I don’t see a single standout among the folks leaving” (emphasis mine) Considering that those folks include one of the Rails core contributors, the Head of Design, and the Head of Marketing, either: A) you’re mistaken in your read B) you’re not mistaken, and Basecamp made some massive hiring and staffing flaws including but not limited to who they put in leadership positions I’m not saying which is which, just point…

Fair point on Rails core contrib.

I was definitely wrong on that.

Re: “About one-third of Basecamp employees accepted buyouts today”

#983

Post by monkeywork »

babelfish wrote: post #52
Hamuko wrote: post #50

Didn't Coinbase do something similar and only have 5% take the buyout option? How is this so different from what Coinbase did?

1/3 of your company choosing the buyout is way more significant than 5%

if we are talking 5% of 100 people or 1/3 of 3 people you'd then the 5% is more significant.

I don't know how folks don't understand that - % and pure numbers tell different stories depending on scale.

If my hard drive has 5% remaining on it my reaction is going to be totally different if its a 250GB HD or a 10 TB HD.

Re: “About one-third of Basecamp employees accepted buyouts today”

#984

Post by tha0xa1 »

FemmeAndroid wrote: post #394
mmmcookies wrote: post #375

I wouldn’t hire any of these people if they left due to the policy change. How about you put your money where you mouth is and join a non-profit if you care so much about these issues. Instead, it’s a bunch of incredibly privileged individuals throwing a tantrum from their ivory towers without any skin the game. It’s pathetic.

Off the top of my head, Jane Yang, who I believe has quit, left non-profits and joined Basecamp to explicitly pursue a strategy of earning to give ( https://80000hours.org/articles/earning-to-give/ ). That seems like she's "put her money where her mouth is," as you say. What's your basis for believing these people don't really care?

And things have come full circle. Apparently the "racist capitalist system" (her words, not mine) ends up being the best way to support those who scored the highest in the oppression Olympics.

"Earning to give" is admitting that capitalism won, and is the most effective way at righting their perceived wrongs.

It's the same illogic right-wingers used to defend billionaires, low taxes, etc. since the late 80s early 90s. "But they donate more than anyone else! Philanthropy! Altruism!"

Re: “About one-third of Basecamp employees accepted buyouts today”

#985

Post by villgax »

blakebreeder wrote: post #889
villgax wrote: post #687

Slaves shouldn't talk about slavery in the masters estate is the closest analogy apart from WW2

Remember all those times slave masters offered 6 month severage packages for them to leave?

If that is what is in the contract, why are you surprised.

Re: “About one-third of Basecamp employees accepted buyouts today”

#986

Post by villgax »

joelbluminator wrote: post #842
villgax wrote: post #687

Slaves shouldn't talk about slavery in the masters estate is the closest analogy apart from WW2

You are out of your mind...

Sure & JF+DHH aren't? What a shitty workplace if you can't even talk about issues impacting the society. Kinda like keep your head down & keep working, nothing happening outside impacts us.

Re: “About one-third of Basecamp employees accepted buyouts today”

#989

Post by sswam »

Imagine asking your employees to avoid taking politics, concentrate mainly on their work, and conduct themselves professionally while at work. What an outrageous thing to ask of your extremely privileged and well-remunerated software developers and other staff. The founders included themselves in this also. There are 3 things you don't talk about in polite company, traditionally: politics, religion and money; and doubly so at work, and in writing. The Basecamp founders are incredibly wise when it comes to operating a business, and it would take more than this present nonsense to shake my respect for them.

Re: “About one-third of Basecamp employees accepted buyouts today”

#990

Post by sswam »

ipaddr wrote: post #152

Interestingly the employees who left have the best career prospects. Entire iOS team, head of marketing and head of product team. The 6 months free money is hard for anyone entering a strong job market to pass up. A lot of comments seem to think 1/3 left because of the no politics policy. 1 / 3 left because it would increase their wealth or give them the summer covid took away last year. How many people would leave y…

It's unsurprising that people with better career prospects are less attached to their current jobs.
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