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Layoffs at Block

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Re: Layoffs at Block

#191
post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just the current reality in SFBA. People have spilled some 2 trillion dollars onto the area in the past 2 years. A lot of that is going to software engineers as everyone tries to shove AI down consumers' throats.

Not being obtuse, I even googled it, but I have no idea what SFBA is in this context. I'm assuming it's not to do with windsurfing in the San Francisco Bay Area or some kind of insulation. Could you elaborate?

you're so close!

Re: Layoffs at Block

#194
I still don't get it.

If AI really improves efficiency and allows the company's employees to produce more, better products faster and thus increase the competitiveness of a company... then why does said company fire (half of!) its staff instead of, well, producing more, better products faster, thus increasing its competitiveness?

Am I naive or is AI a lie when marked as a cause?

Why is it that us employees are gaslighted with the FOMO of "if you don't adopt AI to produce more, then you'll be replaced by employees who do", and why do these executives don't feel "if you fire half of your employees for whatever reason, you'll be outcompeted by companies who... simply didn't?"

Re: Layoffs at Block

#195

Imagine receiving this message and the author couldn't even be bothered to capitalise letters properly. How insulting. It's like being fired by a five year old child.

Jack Dorsey looks like a homeless person and he spends his time meditating and talking about Bitcoin. People knew what they were getting into.

Re: Layoffs at Block

#196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

i don't think this is true. assuming $150,000 average salary thats around $600,000 totally so that increases the yearly profit by about 30%.

I directly quoted jack - take it up with him.

> The company is profitable, and Jack could have kept 4000 people employed with no difference in outcome

did he suggest no difference in outcome in terms of profits?

Re: Layoffs at Block

#197
post #36

Nice severance; but in this job market, holy shit. Yeah, you get 5 months of severance and a bunch of devices and such; but, does this CEO really think these employees will find new work in that time? In this job market? If the profits are still up and growing, why on earth would you evict 40% of the company, to send them into this job market? Why not … try new industries, play around, try to become the next Mitsubis…

> Nice severance; but in this job market, holy shit. I just talked to a bunch of recruiters (we're hiring) and their main piece of advice was: The market is crazy. Move fast . We're seeing people getting jobs within days of starting to look, bailing on offers after signing because they got a better offer somewhere else, etc. 24 hours is the longest you can leave a candidate waiting. You have been warned edit: I am in…

To anyone who's been looking for SWE jobs lately, has this been your experience?

Re: Layoffs at Block

#198

Sucks for the people to lose their jobs, but probably the most honest message you’ll ever see. What I don’t understand is why. There’s a natural churn at each company. Of course it’s not 40%, but probably 4-5% per year, but I doubt the company freezes hiring and they are not pressured to do this.

> probably the most honest message you’ll ever see

Interesting that this is your takeaway; it seems that this is effectively an investor-friendly way to admit that Block hired too many people over the course of the pandemic and doesn't necessarily have obvious expansion/growth (that would require people to write more software) on the roadmap.

"Oh the business isn't going too well so we need to lay people off" - said no CEO ever, but "AI go brrrr" makes investors happy!

Re: Layoffs at Block

#200

I still don't get it. If AI really improves efficiency and allows the company's employees to produce more, better products faster and thus increase the competitiveness of a company... then why does said company fire (half of!) its staff instead of, well, producing more, better products faster, thus increasing its competitiveness? Am I naive or is AI a lie when marked as a cause? Why is it that us employees are gaslig…

> instead of, well, producing more, better products faster, thus increasing its competitiveness?

Probably because this is not Block's business strategy. If they could do this, then they would...

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