Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Plaid Layoffs

plaid.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

91–100 of 345 posts

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#91

Post by Waterluvian »

__alexs wrote: post #74
game_the0ry wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the chimpanzee world, this would be handled differently. In chimp world, when alpha chimp causes chaos that brings down the community, a group of beta chimps will tear apart alpha chimp limb-by-limb, then they elect a new alpha from the group of beta subversives. This also how the organized crime works - leaders get a lot of benefits, but they also get the downside accountability when they fuck up ("skin in the ga…

You have the analogy wrong though. The other apes in the corporate world are the shareholders, not the employees. The employees are the sticks the chimps use to dig up termites.

But the employees are faaaaaaaamily …

…until they’re inconvenient. Then we give them some supplies and dump them at the local fire station.

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#92

Post by game_the0ry »

lxe wrote: post #28

What delusional playbook does every tech leader get the idea to refer to their employees by cringey names like "Plaids" or "Metamates" in serious memos like this? Imagine if your physician did this... "Hey there KaiserPermanientoid! You have cancer!"

They all hire the same consultants to coordinate their layoffs. That's why the narrative and pr sounds similar across tech companies.

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#94

Post by lovich »

jacobmarble wrote: post #59
monero-xmr wrote: post #19

Dear Floofernistas, This is the hardest thing I have ever done. The market changed - I thought we would make more money, now I think we will make less money. Therefore we have discovered that we don't need all of you. If you aren't needed, here is some money. I hope this is enough money that the internet isn't too mad at me. Remaining Floofernistas, please be kind to the ex-Floofernistas, and help them. Again, I am s…

Is it the company's responsibility to employ people until it runs out of money? Are you certain that "here is some money" is just to keep the internet anger at bay? Do companies exist to protect their employees, or to provide something useful for their customers?

A lot of us who’ve done this long enough know what the reality is, but companies always like to pretend “we’re a family” to manipulate their employees into working harder. Especially in tech where there’s a long history of company’s saying their values are lofty goals like “don’t be evil” when it’s really “make me, the founder, fabulously wealthy”.

You shouldn’t be surprised at people being legitimately angry everytime this type of hypocrisy comes up

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#95

Post by baandam »

andersonmvd wrote: post #71

> Macroeconomic conditions have changed substantially this year. Despite being well-diversified across every category of financial services, we are seeing customers across the industry experiencing slower-than-expected growth. sry for the stupid question, but does anyone have a good breakdown/video/article/explanation on the market change? I have some idea, but I'm not a pro.

Zoom this chart in from about 2016 to now. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FEDFUNDS

The tide of capital is going way out after being at high tide for a very long time.

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#96

Post by jordigh »

FeistySkink wrote: post #32
scifibestfi wrote: post #16

> approximately 260 talented Plaids "Plaids" This joins the list of Googlers, Xooglers, Nooglers, Amazonians, Tweeps, Krakenites, what else?

Is there some HR from hell manual somewhere that encourages this? Does anybody sincerely enjoy being called some cringey pun?

I'm pretty sure it's a subtle union-busting doublethink. When the Starbucks employees started unionising, they said things like "if you're going to call us partners [the Starbucks name for 'employee'], then start treating us like partners."

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#97

Post by nine_zeros »

boringg wrote: post #70

I get that layoffs seriously are terrible but a lot of these tech companies are providing some pretty seriously nice exit packages. I fail to understand the amount of acid in the comment thread? Layoffs suck, corporate speak is always cringey. What would people want as alternatives outside perfectly executed business plans that don't have layoffs? Handheld individual exit goodbye packages? Im seriously asking for leg…

> Im seriously asking for legit solutions.

A few months of director+ level pay cut before layoffs.

A few C-level folks taking pay and stock cut to retain employees before layoffs.

When layoffs come, fire the bad decision makers before rank and file.

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#99

Post by cjglo »

dougmwne wrote: post #40
monero-xmr wrote: post #19

Dear Floofernistas, This is the hardest thing I have ever done. The market changed - I thought we would make more money, now I think we will make less money. Therefore we have discovered that we don't need all of you. If you aren't needed, here is some money. I hope this is enough money that the internet isn't too mad at me. Remaining Floofernistas, please be kind to the ex-Floofernistas, and help them. Again, I am s…

And BTW, I take full responsibility for everything, which means nothing.

In the words of Gavin Belson:

“Make no mistake, though they are the ones leaving, it is I who must remain and endure the heavy burden of their failure.”

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#100

Post by jacobmarble »

MajimasEyepatch wrote: post #82
jacobmarble wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it the company's responsibility to employ people until it runs out of money? Are you certain that "here is some money" is just to keep the internet anger at bay? Do companies exist to protect their employees, or to provide something useful for their customers?

> Do companies exist to protect their employees, or to provide something useful for their customers? Investors will tell you companies exist to return value to shareholders. The customers and employees are just a means to that end.

Yes, that's a good point.
Post reply on HN