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Plaid Layoffs

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Re: Plaid Layoffs

#301

Post by pcurve »

chinchilla2020 wrote: post #197
Calvin02 wrote: post #79

I know this feels trite but do other industries do a better job of messaging layoffs? I was laid off from a non-tech company in 2006-2007. There was no message from the CEO, no public admission of fault, etc. We knew the layoffs were coming. On the Friday of the layoff, my manager came around and took me to the HR office. I stood in line with others to sign some paperwork. I was then escorted back to my desk to colle…

Previously I worked in the energy industry. Layoffs were definitely far more lucrative for employees. * Most individual contributors received 1-2 years of pay * Next bonus cycle was paid out early as part of severance * Contract employees were fully paid out their 1-3 year contracts (Why the hell don't tech startups offer contracts? Another discussion we should have some day) * Senior employers were usually 'bridged…

That is shockingly good. It almost seems too good to be true.

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#302

Post by jvolkman »

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…

I asked ChatGPT and it was close.

> Write a letter from the CEO of a company called Floof where employees are called Floofernistas about the lay off of 5000 employees.

Dear Floofernistas,

It is with great sadness that I must announce that Floof will be laying off 5000 of our beloved Floofernistas. This decision was not made lightly, and it is with a heavy heart that we must part ways with so many valued members of our team.

Please know that this decision was not a reflection of your hard work and dedication to Floof. Each and every one of you has contributed to the success of our company, and we are grateful for your contributions.

Unfortunately, external factors have forced us to make this difficult decision. Rest assured that we will be providing severance packages and job placement assistance to help you through this transition. We are committed to supporting you during this difficult time.

Thank you for being a part of the Floof family. We will always be grateful for your hard work and dedication, and we wish you the very best in your future endeavors.

Sincerely, [CEO of Floof]

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#303

Post by tdeck »

leviathant wrote: post #147
namdnay wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s the silly cutsey name they give to themselves, like metamates or googlers. So it makes sense to consider them “part of the family” until the end

I honestly don't know why there's so much resentment over this point in-thread here. I do understand that in the context of a layoff announcement, it's a little cold. I worked for a company called Weblinc, we called each other Weblincers - not because it was some cult, and there wasn't company "we're a big family" messaging, although there were many tightly knit social groups among colleagues that formed over the yea…

As someone who actually works at Plaid I agree. I'm surprised to see these reactions to these company demonyms that feel really extreme and at times sound like a conspiracy theory. I understand the apprehension about cult-like company cultures but I'm just not feeling it at Plaid at all. It's no more cringy than people referring to their entire employer as "we", which I see constantly and never see derided at all.

People actually do call each other Plaids in certain contexts because it's shorter than saying something like "colleagues" (which sounds overly formal), and it's clear that it encompasses the whole company. I've never heard a colleague say that we're a family or anything similar. Google had a bit of self-mythology about "Googlers" but Plaid doesn't really even have that.

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#304

Post by nunez »

vineyardmike wrote: post #285
nunez wrote: post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

maybe for you, but if this person was living on a >$100mn lifestyle, then that 10x decline will actually hurt them!

No it won't! They may feel bad about less yachts and luxury, but they are absolutely not hurting . No one is starving, no one is losing their housing, no one is unable to pay the heating bill. Not even close to hurting . Lets not pity the $100mn-aires that just laid off 260+ people.

is anyone working at bigtech that got laid off starving though?

bigtech pays a lot of money relative to US median; layoffs should suck for us but not be completely life-altering, especially given the severances/continuance of healthcare/etc.

i didn't say that big money ceo will be suffering, but spending more than you have always hurts when you can't afford the debt, and going down in lifestyle always sucks

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#305

Post by sroussey »

tpxl wrote: post #195
sroussey wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The UK and EU would be better? From a business perspective, Europe and EU are the same thing, and the UK is not part of the EU anymore.

> Europe and EU are the same thing Uwot. A significant chunk of Europe is not in the European Union.

The American perspective is that that are. Many would hard pressed to say which were in the EU and which were not.

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#306

Post by rsj_hn »

sroussey wrote: post #305
tpxl wrote: post #195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Europe and EU are the same thing Uwot. A significant chunk of Europe is not in the European Union.

The American perspective is that that are. Many would hard pressed to say which were in the EU and which were not.

I'm pretty sure that most Americans don't know or care about what the EU is, but they've heard of the UK, Italy, Poland, etc., and would readily tell you that the UK (they would probably call it 'England') is in Europe and that Europe is a continent, not a bureaucracy. Foreign bureaucracies are just uninteresting to outsiders, whereas people go visit Rome, Venice, London, etc.

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#307

Post by Giorgi »

Waterluvian wrote: post #91
__alexs wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

What is your solution? Burn trough money by paying some people that you don't need and then leave everyone unemployed? They are not inconvenient they are not needed anymore. At least they get some supplies. Most of the world don't get jack.

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#309

Post by disgruntledphd2 »

notch656a wrote: post #81
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? Neither. They exist to benefit their shareholders/owners. That's it.

It's funny how organisations literally given legal status by states to accomplish things are no regarded as only responsible for their investors.

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#310

Post by refurb »

A4ET8a8uTh0 wrote: post #142
jdnffjvnv wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you advocating for mob violence against CEOs for laying people off?

Parent may not be advocating it, but one would have to be willfully blind not to see a tremendous spike in related chatter online ('eat the rich' comes to mind ). If it is not addressed, it will only fester. Open discussion is a way to release some of that pressure.

If it ever came down to eat the rich I’m sorry to say, but the tech crowd, including employees would be the first up against the wall.

Hilarious how employees who make a salary 3-4X the US median somehow think they are the proletariat.

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