I’m the CTO of my company and was forced to downsize from 48 devs to 3… It was really hard. Telling everyone myself was even harder. Everyone was nice about it, understood it wasn’t my choice, but you’re impacting lives. To talk to someone having a normal day and then suddenly they’re reeling and trying to think of how they’ll survive.
I honestly think if our board has to be the ones to tell them it wouldn’t even register for them. It would be like ordering food. The people at that level only see money.
scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech 4 months ago
My first layoff was this, and the CTO was genuinely distraught. I hold no ill feelings towards him. The company was not doing well, and we saw the writing on the wall for a while. That was a brave man, he got up there and took it himself.
Later I was laid off again by cowards. The CEO and CTO were offline when most of the people got the gauntlet, a 5 minute meeting with HR only. No feedback, no questions. HR woman we all knew, and she was crying, obviously crushed and was pushed to do all of this herself while they hid with their tail behind their legs. Heard the next day that the CEO bravely told the reset of the org that they had some “adjustments” that had to be made and no shit - direct quote “We’re feeling a little heartburn today”. Coward.
ch00f@lemmy.world 4 months ago
I feel for you.
My company got bought in June '23. I was offered a retention bonus with a final payout after two years. 1.5 years in (last month), they announced that they’re laying off our entire office in June '25.
The reason provided was that we can’t keep up with the expected demand of the product despite nobody ever coming on site to evaluate our abilities and us exceeding the goals set for us. It couldn’t have anything to do with the salary range in our area. I asked the goon they sent us if the person who made the decision was on the phone. He said no. It was explained that “these things happen” in business.
And they expect everyone to stick around and happily assist in the transition. The retention bonus sounded good when it came with continued employment, but it’s not nearly enough to put up with that shit.
I’ve already interviewed three places. Fuck if I’m giving them two weeks.
scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech 4 months ago
I have friends who were offered retention in the same boat. They are taking it as they are being paid to job search, it’s a pre layoff. The second they don’t have anything holding them down they’re all out. Take the money and run, the company already showed their true colors
ch00f@lemmy.world 4 months ago
They literally have us trying to finish developing a product and get it through certification. They want first 10 units built at our location and for us to train up the people at the new location. I’m phoning it in for sure, but that’s not the expectation.
philpo@feddit.org 4 months ago
Reminds me off a friend who was made to lay off his entire team. Himself included.
He basically got his team in a meeting room, told them that everyone in this room is being fired. People of course were shocked and some shouted at him how he could do such a thing to them. “Again: Everyone, I mean literally everyone in this room is being fired.Understood?”
He rehired half his team soon after for the company he created with his severance package.
Ledericas@lemm.ee 4 months ago
they knew, they dint want to deal with angry employees, and potential lawsuits for "unfair firings or discirmination.