WebProNews

Category: HRProNews

HRProNews

  • Alphabet’s Intrinsic and Verily Lay Off Staff

    Alphabet’s Intrinsic and Verily Lay Off Staff

    Alphabet has finally joined the long list of companies laying off employees, with its Intrinsic and Verily divisions impacted.

    Alphabet has long prided itself on never conducting layoffs, but that record has finally been broken. The company’s robotics division, Intrinsic, as well as Verily, its health science business, have both announced layoffs.

    “I have promised you all transparency in what we’re doing, and this means we have eliminated approximately 15 percent of Verily roles due to discontinued programs, full control of Granular and Onduo, and redundancy in the new, centralized organization,” wrote Verily CEO Stephen Gillett.

    An Intrinsic spokesperson gave a similar statement to TechCrunch:

    “Intrinsic’s leadership has made the difficult decision to let go a number of our team members,” the spokesperson said. “We have communicated the news directly with them. We fully acknowledge how hard this will be and are offering as much proactive support as possible. This decision was made in light of shifts in prioritization and our longer-term strategic direction. It will ensure Intrinsic can continue to allocate resources to our highest priority initiatives, such as building our software and AI platform, integrating the recent strategic acquisitions of Vicarious and OSRC (commercial arm Open Robotics), and working with key industry partners. While incredibly tough to do, we believe this decision is necessary for us to continue our mission.”

    Alphabet’s layoffs are the latest warning signs regarding the state of the economy. While it’s one thing for a startup with limited funds to lay off employees, it’s another thing entirely for a company with Alphabet’s resources to lay off staff — especially when it has prided itself on avoiding that plan of action for decades.

  • Microsoft Now Offering Unlimited Vacation to Some Employees

    Microsoft Now Offering Unlimited Vacation to Some Employees

    Microsoft is giving salaried employees in the US a major perk, offering unlimited vacation under its new “Discretionary Time Off” policy.

    Companies are trying to find a new normal post-pandemic, and Microsoft’s change to its vacation policy is being pitched as an adaptation to new, flexible ways of working. The company outlined its thinking in an internal email sent by Kathleen Hogan, Microsoft’s chief people officer, and seen by The Verge:

    “How, when, and where we do our jobs has dramatically changed. And as we’ve transformed, modernizing our vacation policy to a more flexible model was a natural next step.”

    The new policy goes into effect January 16 and will be in addition to the paid holidays Microsoft already provides. As an added benefit, the policy will also apply to new employees, meaning they will not need to be at the company a certain amount of time in order to build up vacation days.

    Those employees that have already accumulated unused vacation days will get a one-time payout in April.

    While hourly employees are not included in the new policy, Microsoft says the reason is because of the complexity of US federal and state laws, which would make it difficult to extend the policy to include them. The same is true for employees outside the US.

  • Goldman Sachs to Begin Layoffs This Week

    Goldman Sachs to Begin Layoffs This Week

    After weeks of rumors and anticipation, Goldman Sachs will begin laying off thousands of workers this week.

    Rumors surfaced in mid-December indicating the banking giant was preparing to lay off thousands of workers. Initial reports placed the number around 4,000, or roughly 8% of the company’s workforce.

    According to a new report by Bloomberg, however, the bank plans to lay off no more than 3,200 employees. While coming in a little less than expected, that number still represents one of the company’s biggest-ever layoffs.

    While details are still relatively sparse, it appears that at least one-third of the impacted jobs will be in the company’s core trading and banking divisions.

  • Twitter Ad Engineers Get the Axe

    Twitter Ad Engineers Get the Axe

    Twitter ad engineers are the latest to be laid off, an odd choice given Elon Musk’s determination to improve ad revenue.

    Twitter has engaged in a number of layoffs since Musk bought the company, as the new CEO has worked to slash costs in the interest of profitability. One of the major challenges the company has faced is the loss of advertisers over some of Musk’s more controversial decisions.

    Given Musk’s need to gain and keep new advertisers, one would think that ad engineers would be the one jobs safe from layoffs. Unfortunately, according to The Information, that is not the case, with some 40 ad engineers and data scientists being laid off.

    The layoffs targeted areas that Twitter’s leadership considers to be failing, such as the ads product, and unimportant, such as data science, the person said. Twitter’s ad revenue has reportedly plunged in recent months, as advertisers respond to Elon Musk’s loosening of rules around content moderation and the general chaos as Musk shakes up the company.

  • FTC Wants to Eliminate Noncompete Agreements

    FTC Wants to Eliminate Noncompete Agreements

    The Federal Trade Commission has proposed a rule that would ban noncompete clauses in the US labor market.

    Noncompete clauses are a common part of many employment agreements, barring an individual from working for a competing company when their employment ends. The FTC believes that eliminating such agreements would add some $300 billion per year to workers’ earnings.

    “The freedom to change jobs is core to economic liberty and to a competitive, thriving economy,” said Chair Lina M. Khan. “Noncompetes block workers from freely switching jobs, depriving them of higher wages and better working conditions, and depriving businesses of a talent pool that they need to build and expand. By ending this practice, the FTC’s proposed rule would promote greater dynamism, innovation, and healthy competition.”

    At a time when tens of thousands of workers are being laid off, eliminating noncompete agreements would expand employment opportunities for 30 million Americans, many of them in the industries hardest hit by layoffs.

    “Research shows that employers’ use of noncompetes to restrict workers’ mobility significantly suppresses workers’ wages—even for those not subject to noncompetes, or subject to noncompetes that are unenforceable under state law,” said Elizabeth Wilkins, Director of the Office of Policy Planning. “The proposed rule would ensure that employers can’t exploit their outsized bargaining power to limit workers’ opportunities and stifle competition.”

    The new rule, which is open for public comment, would apply to employees, as well as “independent contractors and anyone who works for an employer, whether paid or unpaid. It would also require employers to rescind existing noncompetes and actively inform workers that they are no longer in effect.”

  • Amazon’s Layoff Plans Grow to 18,000

    Amazon’s Layoff Plans Grow to 18,000

    Amazon layoff plans have grown to nearly twice their original scope, with the company now planning on laying off 18,000 workers.

    Reports surfaced in November that Amazon was planning to lay off as many as 10,000 employees. Like many in the tech industry, the company was looking for ways to weather the economic downturn.

    Fast-forward two months, and CEO Andy Jassy has written a blog post notifying employees of the company’s intention to lay off 18,000 workers, not 10,000. Jassy says recent reviews revealed the need to lay off more individuals than was previously planned.

    “Today, I wanted to share the outcome of these further reviews, which is the difficult decision to eliminate additional roles,” Jassy writes. “Between the reductions we made in November and the ones we’re sharing today, we plan to eliminate just over 18,000 roles. Several teams are impacted; however, the majority of role eliminations are in our Amazon Stores and PXT organizations.”

    Jassy says he initially planned to publicly reveal the increased scope of the layoffs only after the individuals impacted were notified. However, news of the layoffs was leaked, with The Wall Street Journal breaking the story, causing Jassy to publicly acknowledge the plans.

    “We typically wait to communicate about these outcomes until we can speak with the people who are directly impacted,” “However, because one of our teammates leaked this information externally, we decided it was better to share this news earlier so you can hear the details directly from me. We intend on communicating with impacted employees (or where applicable in Europe, with employee representative bodies) starting on January 18.”

    Amazon’s layoffs are sure to raise concerns over the state of the economy, as the company is engaging in mass layoffs during what is normally its businesses season.

  • Salesforce Is Laying Off 10% of Its Workforce

    Salesforce Is Laying Off 10% of Its Workforce

    Salesforce has become one of the first major companies to announce layoffs in the new year, with plans to cut 10% of its workforce.

    Layoffs became a major fixture of the tech industry during the latter half of 2022, with tens of thousands of workers laid off. Salesforce has rung in the new year by informing employees that 10% of them will be let go.

    The layoffs mark the latest in a string of setbacks the company has experienced, including the loss of co-CEO Bret Taylor and Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield.

    A copy of CEO Marc Benioff’s email to employees was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission:

    Date: January 4, 2023 Subject: Important Company Update

    As one ‘Ohana, over the last 23 years, Salesforce has built the #1 CRM that drives incredible customer success across every line of business for every industry around the world. We have never been more mission-critical to our customers. We have an unparalleled ecosystem, with thousands of partners and millions of Trailblazers building their companies on our platform.

    However, the environment remains challenging and our customers are taking a more measured approach to their purchasing decisions. With this in mind, we’ve made the very difficult decision to reduce our workforce by about 10 percent, mostly over the coming weeks.

    I’ve been thinking a lot about how we came to this moment. As our revenue accelerated through the pandemic, we hired too many people leading into this economic downturn we’re now facing, and I take responsibility for that.

    Within the next hour, employees who are initially affected by this decision will receive an email letting them know. Our leadership will reach out directly to these employees, and provide clarity for their teams about changes within their organizations.

    For those who will be leaving Salesforce, our priority is to fully support them, including by offering a generous package. In the U.S., affected employees will receive a minimum of nearly five months of pay, health insurance, career resources, and other benefits to help with their transition. Those outside the U.S. will receive a similar level of support, and our local processes will align with employment laws in each country.

    The employees being affected aren’t just colleagues. They’re friends. They’re family. Please reach out to them. Offer the compassion and love they and their families deserve and need now more than ever. And most of all, please lean on your leadership, including me, as we work through this difficult time together.

    I’m grateful for every single one of you who has contributed to our continued success as a company, and the hard work and sacrifices you have made to generate success for our hundreds of thousands of customers. You’ve built our company — for all of our stakeholders — and you’ve shown incredible resilience every step of the way.

    With gratitude, Marc

  • Google Employees Brace for Cost-Saving Measures

    Google Employees Brace for Cost-Saving Measures

    Google employees are reportedly bracing for cost-saving measures, fearing they could lead to mass layoffs the company has so far avoided.

    The economic downturn has hit the tech industry especially hard, with many of Google’s rivals already resorting to layoffs in an effort to cut costs. While Google has so far managed to avoid that step, employees are growing increasingly worried such layoffs may be imminent.

    According to The New York Times, Google employees in Switzerland have voiced concerns about measures the company is putting in place to evaluate employee performance.

    “The number and spread of reports that reached us indicates that at least some managers were aggressively pressured to apply a quota” on a process that could lead to employees getting negative ratings and potentially losing their jobs, five workers and employee representatives wrote in the letter, which was obtained by The New York Times.

    Despite Google’s profits and outlook, some investors are increasingly pushing the company to do more to reign in costs and protect the profits it’s earning.

    Read more: Analyst Says Google Should Conduct Layoffs

    “One of the most obvious ways to do that is to cut costs and reduce your employee head count,” Mark Mahaney, an analyst at Evercore ISI, said.

    Mahaney added that it was “kind of odd” that Google’s parent Alphabet hired 30,000 in just the last three quarters, seemingly bucking the overall economic and industry trends. All told, Alphabet’s worker count comes in at 186,779.

    Google’s employees have been concerned about the company’s future plans for some time, but the anxiety appears to be reaching all-new levels, according to the Times.

    From the impending closure of a small office and the cancellation of a content-moderation project to various efforts to ease budgets during 2023 planning meetings, the Silicon Valley behemoth has become a tinderbox of anxiety, according to interviews with 14 current and former employees, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.

    Only time will tell if Google plans to join its rivals and conduct mass layoffs, although the company has always avoided layoffs as a matter of pride.

  • 2022 Layoffs Top 125,000

    2022 Layoffs Top 125,000

    As the new year approaches, the latest numbers indicate that a whopping 125,000 employees have been laid off in 2022.

    Many companies and industries were flying high during the pandemic, as remote and hybrid work options fueled big spending on computers, tablets, cloud computing, and more. Meanwhile, government stimulus helped buoy spending among consumers. As things have returned to normal, however, fears of a recession have mounted and led to mass layoffs.

    According to Forbes, the total number of layoffs for 2022 has now topped 125,000, with more than 60,000 of them being let go since the beginning of November. Tech companies have led the charge, with Meta, Amazon, and HP among those laying off the most workers. In total, some 90,000 workers have been laid off in the industry this year.

    As economists warn of a recession, the layoff numbers are certainly lending weight to those concerns.

  • Goldman Sachs to Lay Off Up to 8% of Its Employees

    Goldman Sachs to Lay Off Up to 8% of Its Employees

    Goldman Sachs is the latest company turning to layoffs to weather the economic downturn, reportedly looking to cut up to 8% of its staff.

    According to Business Insider, no decision has been made on the exact number of employees to be laid off, but it is believed to comprise as many as 8%. Semafor, however, previously pegged the number at 4,000 out of a total of 49,100 employees.

    The layoffs could hit as early as January and come on the heels of a warning from CEO David Solomon that rough roads were ahead.

    “We continue to see headwinds on our expense lines, particularly in the near term,” Solomon said at last week. “We’ve set in motion certain expense mitigation plans, but it will take some time to realize the benefits. Ultimately, we will remain nimble and we will size the firm to reflect the opportunity set.”

  • US Government Snapping Up Laid-Off Tech Workers

    US Government Snapping Up Laid-Off Tech Workers

    The US government is proving to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the tech industry’s mass layoffs.

    The tech industry has laid off tens of thousands of workers in recent months following significant miscalculations about the state of the post-pandemic economy. Despite the downturn, the federal government is seeing an opportunity, finally able to compete with Big Tech’s recruitment.

    According to CNBC, Kurt DelBene, chief information officer at the US Department of Veterans Affairs, is one such individual that is looking to hire laid-off tech workers. The CIO, who previously spent 30 years at Microsoft, wants software engineers and designers who can “really sink their teeth into designing and redesigning new systems” as the VA accelerates its digital transformation.

    “It’s one thing to build productivity software for individuals,” DelBene said. “It’s quite another to think about how your systems deliver healthcare benefits to veterans who have so selflessly given of themselves to defend our country.”

    DelBene isn’t the only one who sees an opportunity.

    “This is an opportunity for those industries, that have traditionally lagged behind in digital transformation and cybersecurity, to hire talent at a level they may not have been able to before when the tech industry was gobbling them up,” Simone Petrella, CEO of CyberVista, told CNBC.

  • Amazon Ordered to Stop Anti-Union Retaliation

    Amazon Ordered to Stop Anti-Union Retaliation

    Amazon’s anti-union efforts have been dealt a major blow, with a judge ordering the company to stop anti-union retaliation.

    Amazon has a long history of fighting union efforts. The company has been accused of intimidation tactics, has hired Pinkerton detectives to combat unionization, and has been accused of wrongfully firing employees who tried organizing. The company’s actions have even prompted its investors to raise concerns.

    According to Labor 411, Judge Diane Gujarati of the United States District Court for the District of Eastern New York has issued an injunction against Amazon, ordering it to cease and desist from any retaliatory measures, such as firing employees who organize.

    The decision was in response to accusations that Amazon wrongfully fired an employee at its Staten Island location during unionization efforts there.

    “The Judge’s order in this case recognizes Amazon’s unlawful conduct and provides the full force of a federal court injunction to prohibit Amazon from further discharging employees for engaging in protected concerted activity,” said Region 29 Brooklyn Director Teresa Poor. “This relief is critical to ensure that Amazon employees can fully and freely exercise their rights to join together and improve their working conditions, including by forming, assisting, or joining a union.”

  • Amazon’s Advertising Unit the Latest to Suffer a Headcount Freeze

    Amazon’s Advertising Unit the Latest to Suffer a Headcount Freeze

    Amazon’s advertising unit is freezing its headcount as the company deals with economic headwinds impacting the industry.

    Amazon delivered weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter guidance, an indication the company is struggling with the economic uncertainties and challenges facing the tech industry at large.

    According to Bloomberg, by way of Business Insider, Amazon will continue to fill existing roles but will not create any new jobs within the advertising unit. Amazon did not confirm the news, only telling Bloomberg there were a “significant number of open roles” available.

    “We have many different businesses at various stages of evolution, and we expect to keep adjusting our hiring strategies in each of these businesses at various junctures,” the spokesperson added.

    The move to freeze advertising headcount is especially significant since the unit is one of the company’s fastest-growing divisions and is in third place behind Google and Meta. The measure is evidence of the steps Amazon’s execs are willing to take in order to cut costs and increase profitability.

  • Workers at Amazon’s Largest Air Hub, in Northern KY, Push for Unionization

    Workers at Amazon’s Largest Air Hub, in Northern KY, Push for Unionization

    Amazon’s unionization woes are increasing, with workers at the company’s largest air hub pushing to organize.

    Amazon has aggressively battled union organization efforts for years, even going so far as to deploy Pinkerton detectives to deter attempts. Despite its stance, support for unionization has been growing, and the company’s largest air hub outside of Cincinnati Northern Kentucky international airport is the latest site to experience significant union pressure.

    According to The Guardian, workers are displeased with annual pay raises, with at least 400 of them signing a petition to have a peak season premium hourly rate enacted. Amazon normally pays its warehouse workers more during the holiday season, when sales reach their yearly peak but has yet to implement it at the NKY site.

    Read more: Amazon Once Again Going Full-Press Against Unionization Efforts

    “We have to operate a lot of heavy machinery, freight loaders, cargo tractors and things like that, and people aren’t paid any extra to do that work,” said Griffin Ritze, an air associate and ramp agent, and one of the organizing members onsite. “They just cross-train you in as many roles as possible and you’re constantly shuffled around.”

    Workers have also complained that Amazon is not clearly communicating with them, including over things as serious as being written up.

    “We do not have any clue that we are written up and never notified about it until we go to apply for a better position, that’s when we’ll find out,” said Steven Kelley, a learning ambassador at the KY site.

    The employees ultimately make the point that Amazon depends on its warehouse and shipping workers as the lifeblood of the company and should therefore take better care of them.

    “We’re the lifeblood of the company, not corporate, not upper management. We’re actually the ones who are sorting the freight, and loading the freight,” said Jordan Martin, a ramp associate at the air hub. “It’s the lifeblood of the company, the workers, who are actually organizing this effort and why we’re pushing for the better benefits that we’re trying to fight for.”

  • DoorDash Reducing Headcount by 1,250

    DoorDash Reducing Headcount by 1,250

    DoorDash is the latest company to reduce its headcount in the face of economic headwinds, cuttings its workforce by 1,250.

    Countless companies in a range of industries miscalculated the long-term impact of the pandemic. As a result, many companies increased their headcount to levels that were unsustainable once things began to return to normal.

    DoorDash CEO Tony Xu indicated his company had done the same thing in a memo to employees:

    Most of our investments are paying off, and while we’ve always been disciplined in how we have managed our business and operational metrics, we were not as rigorous as we should have been in managing our team growth. That’s on me. As a result, operating expenses grew quickly.

    Unfortunately, the end result is that some 1,250 employees will lose their job:

    This is the most difficult change to DoorDash that I’ve had to announce in our almost 10-year history. Today, we are reducing our corporate headcount by approximately 1250 people and saying goodbye to many talented teammates. If you are among those impacted, I am truly sorry and I apologize to have some of you wake up to this news as opposed to reading it during more normal hours.

  • Bob Iger Has No Plans to Lift Disney Hiring Freeze

    Bob Iger Has No Plans to Lift Disney Hiring Freeze

    Bob Iger’s return as CEO of Disney may signal a time of change, but the company’s hiring freeze is one thing that won’t change.

    Disney stunned the industry when it announced last week that Bob Chapek would be replaced by his predecessor, former CEO Bob Iger. Chapek had increasingly lost the confidence of investors, as well as Iger, and the company hopes Iger will be able to help it return to greater profitability.

    Whatever changes Iger may have in store for Disney, hiring is not one of them, according to CNBC. At a meeting with company employees, Iger emphasized the need for the company’s streaming services to become profitable, rather than simply add subscribers.

    When the questions turned to the company’s hiring freeze, Iger indicated there were no plans to reverse it for the time being.

  • Twitter Exec Fights Back, Gets Court Injunction Against Being Fired

    Twitter Exec Fights Back, Gets Court Injunction Against Being Fired

    At least one Twitter exec isn’t accepting Musk’s ultimatum to commit to an “extremely hardcore” environment or quit, not without a fight.

    Musk sent employees an email giving them an ultimatum, requiring them to commit to long hours, had work, and an “extremely hardcore” work environment. The email only had one option, “Yes,” with a failure to select it being considered a resignation.

    According to The Irish Times, Twitter executive Sinead McSweeney, global vice-president for public policy, has successfully secured a temporary injunction against being fired. McSweeney says that since she chose not to reply to the email, Twitter has been treating her like she no longer works for the company. McSweeney has reportedly been locked out of all access to the company, both physical and digital.

    Twitter claims McSweeney was told she had accepted a severance package, but she disputes the claim. The executive says she never resigned, but claims the company “resigned me,” in violation of her contract. Meanwhile, Twitter acknowledges the fact that she disputes her “resignation,” and says her work commitment “had never been questioned.”

    Only time will tell if McSweeney will ultimately prevail in her battle against Twitter, although it’s certainly possible. The EU is generally more zealous about protecting the rights of employees and individuals in the face of corporate overreach.

    Musk may just find himself running face-first into EU law over his ultimatum.

  • Wefox CEO ‘Disgusted’ by Tech Industry Layoffs

    Wefox CEO Julian Teicke had harsh words for the tech industry and his fellow CEOs, saying he was “disgusted” by the number of layoffs occurring.

    The tech industry has been laying off employees by the thousands, with Meta alone accounting for 11,000 and Amazon reportedly laying off 10,000. Despite layoffs now being a common occurrence in the industry, Teicke believes it’s a mistake that shows little regard for the people being laid off.

    “These are people that have maybe quit other jobs to join your business,” Teicke said, according to CNBC. “These are people that have maybe moved to other places because of you. These are people that have maybe ended romantic relationships.”

    The CEO expressed his belief that companies and their executives should do everything possible to protect their employees.

    “I believe that CEOs have to do everything in their power to protect their employees,” he said. “I haven’t seen that in the tech industry. And I’m disgusted by that.”

    “These are humans,” he added.

  • HP Plans Long-Term Layoffs in the Thousands

    HP is the latest company to announce layoffs, saying it will let 4,000 to 6,000 employees go over the next three years.

    Layoffs have been hitting the tech industry hard as lower consumer demand, combined with supply chain issues, have taken a toll on many companies operations. HP has announced a number of changes, as part of its “Future Ready Transformation” plan, including layoffs.

    Unlike many companies that are laying off thousands in one fell swoop, HP said in a statement that its layoffs will occur over a three-year period, ending in 2025.

    Today, HP Inc. announced a fiscal year 2023 Future Ready Transformation plan, driving significant structural cost savings through digital transformation, portfolio optimization and operational efficiency. The company estimates that these actions will result in annualized gross run rate savings of at least $1.4 billion by the end of fiscal 2025. The company estimates that it will incur approximately $1.0 billion in labor and non-labor costs related to restructuring and other charges, with approximately $0.6 billion in fiscal 2023, and the rest split approximately equally between fiscal 2024 and 2025. The company expects to reduce gross global headcount by approximately 4,000-6,000 employees. These actions are expected to be completed by the end of fiscal 2025.

  • Elon Musk’s Ultimatum a Scheme to Further Cut Twitter Workforce

    Elon Musk’s Ultimatum a Scheme to Further Cut Twitter Workforce

    Elon Musk’s ultimatum to employees may have been part of a bigger plan to reduce Twitter’s headcount beyond layoffs.

    Musk gave employees an ultimatum that they needed to commit to an “extremely hardcore” work environment, and failure to do so would be taken as a resignation. The results were hardly surprising, with many employees opting out. Some reports indicated the number of employees leaving surprised Musk, with him attempting to assuage concerns in the eleventh hour.

    According to Platformer, however, Musk’s ultimatum may have been a calculated attempt to reduce the company’s headcount without resorting to additional layoffs. Musk originally planned to lay off as much as 75% of Twitter’s employees, before being convinced to stop at 50%.

    With his ultimatum, Musk may have found a way to have his cake and eat it too.

  • Twitter’s Death Spiral? Employees Flee Over Musk’s Ultimatum.

    Twitter’s Death Spiral? Employees Flee Over Musk’s Ultimatum.

    Twitter is in trouble as employees are leaving en masse in response to Elon Musk’s ultimatum that they commit to a “hardcore” environment.

    Elon Musk has stirred up one controversy after another, laying off half the company’s workforce, eliminating remote work, messing with account verification, raising the price of Twitter Blue, and putting a potential bankruptcy on the table.

    Most recently, according to The Washington Post, Musk gave employees an ultimatum via email, saying they would need to commit to a new way of doing things, one that “will need to be extremely hardcore.”

    “This will mean working long hours at high intensity,” he added. “Only exceptional performance will constitute a passing grade.”

    Musk said that any employees willing to commit to the new way of doings things should click “Yes” in the email he sent — the only option in the email.

    “If you are sure that you want to be part of the new Twitter, please click yes on the link below,” read the email.

    Employees were given until 5 pm ET on Thursday to agree. Failure to do so would be taken as a resignation, with three months severance pay being given.

    According to Bloomberg, Musk’s tactics may be backfiring with far more employees opting to leave the company than anticipated. In fact, the number opting out was so large that Musk ended up trying to do damage control in the final hours before the deadline in an effort to convince more people to stay on.

    Despite the effort, Bloomberg reports that the company’s Slack channel was filled with employees sending the salute emoji, which has been adopted as a way for someone to indicate they are leaving the company.

    Ultimately, it’s unclear how much more turmoil Twitter can take and still be viable. Amid the drastic workforce reduction, the company has lost some of its critical security personnel, prompting US senators to ask the FTC to investigate.

    If Musk keeps running it into the ground, his ultimatum may well be viewed as the beginning of Twitter’s death spiral.