DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Tech investor says Elon Musk's decision to 'cut deep' in Twitter layoffs could set a new standard for Silicon Valley
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tech investor David Friedberg said Twitter's layoffs could encourage other companies to follow suit. Elon Musk laid off about 50% of Twitter's staff, while other tech companies have had more conservative cuts. Tech investor David Friedberg said Musk's cost-cutting measures at Twitter could quickly become a new Silicon Valley standard as companies struggle to address the economic downturn in the months to come. Twitter staff were told to listen to the podcast episode to learn why layoffs were necessary, according to tech newsletter Platformer. However, some experts have pointed to Musk's layoffs — which were conducted via blunt emails signed by "Twitter" — as an example of what not to do.

☆ Twitter sees downloads surge in days after Elon Musk took over, hitting an all time high in daily users
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Over the weekend, Twitter saw its most daily active users ever, according to data from Apptopia. In the days since Musk officially took over the platform, average daily downloads of Twitter and daily average usage have increased considerably, according to Apptopia data provided to Insider. Already for November, daily downloads are up 28% compared to October. On Nov. 3, Twitter saw 636,770 daily downloads, the highest since May, and almost twice as many downloads of the app in June. A few days later on Nov 6, Twitter saw another 555,070 downloads, according to Apptopia.

☆ The Twitter manager who went viral for sleeping on the floor of company HQ survived Elon Musk's layoffs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The manager who went viral for sleeping at Twitter's headquarters survived Elon Musk's layoffs, sources told Insider. Last week, a Twitter employee posted a photo of Esther Crawford in a sleeping bag at the office. Previously, the company had offered Twitter Blue for $2.99 per month as a service that would allow users to access special features like editing tweets or reducing ads. "The Twitter team is legendary. The Information reported last week that the manager "appears to be rising in prominence" at Twitter since Musk completed his purchase.

☆ Meta expected to announce massive layoffs this week that could impact thousand as tech bloodbath continues: WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( Bethany Biron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Meta is expected to announce layoffs for thousands of employees as soon as Wednesday, WSJ reported. Meta joins a growing list of tech companies slashing their workforces as a recession nears. Sign up for our newsletter for the latest tech news and scoops — delivered daily to your inbox. The layoffs may impact "many thousands" of staffers and could come as soon as Wednesday, sources told the Journal. The layoffs come as a growing list of tech companies begin cutting jobs and many employers brace for a looming economic recession.

☆ A diary of Elon Musk's totally chaotic first week of owning of Twitter
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Grace Kay | Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Twitter has had a chaotic week since Elon Musk officially took over the company. From plans to gut staff to forcing 12-hour workdays and sparring with celebrities, here's a timeline of Musk's first week at Twitter. The Elon Musk train is finally rolling through Twitter and leaving a wake of chaos and significant change. Employees at Twitter have been bracing for Musk's takeover for months, predicting disorder and confusion as the will-he-won't-he saga came to an end officially last week. If you're hazy on some of the pandemonium surrounding Musk's first week at Twitter, we've compiled a full timeline of the events.

☆ Elon Musk says Twitter is losing more than $4 million a day so he had 'no choice' about cutting thousands of jobs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk said he had "no choice" to cut Twitter staff as the company loses $4 million a day. He tweeted on Friday: "Regarding Twitter's reduction in force, unfortunately there is no choice when the company is losing over $4M/day." However, workers have told Insider they have been offered payments of between one and three months, depending on the region's legal requirements. Some employees told Insider's Kali Hays they began losing access to work systems soon after receiving the warning email, while hundreds of workers have tweeted about losing their jobs. He tweeted: "Twitter has had a massive drop in revenue, due to activist groups pressuring advertisers, even though nothing has changed with content moderation and we did everything we could to appease the activists."

☆ Elon Musk starts layoffs at Twitter shortly after an email went out telling employees cuts would start the next day
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Elon Musk began to terminate employees late Thursday, several people told Insider. The move came just hours after an email went out telling workers to expect layoffs to begin Friday. Twitter said all affected workers would receive an email Friday morning at 9 am ET or 6 am PT. When employees began to be cut on Thursday night, no one had received such an email, multiple employees said. Musk is now demanding people at Twitter "literally work 24/7" and at a "maniacal" pace, as Insider reported.

Elon Musk is shaking up Twitter. From the blunt email to Twitter employees about layoffs to angry advertisers, a lot is happening. Insider has exclusive insights from employees, advertisers and others about working with Musk. And this kind of chaos is only the beginning, warns one former SpaceX VP who says Elon Musk can be 'vicious' in the workplace. Rebecca Blackwell/AP PhotoAdvertisers are nervously pausing their spendMusk has been wooing advertisers, his major Twitter customers, but they are wary.

☆ Read the first memo from Elon Musk's Twitter to employees confirming plans for layoffs and ordering the temporary closure of all offices
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

After seven days of hearing nothing from their new boss, Twitter employees on Thursday received an email from the company confirming that there would be layoffs on Friday. It also said all of the company's offices were being "temporarily closed and all badge access will be suspended." By 9AM PST on Friday Nov. 4th, everyone will receive an individual email with the subject line: Your Role at Twitter. If your employment is not impacted, you will receive a notification via your Twitter email. If you do not receive an email from twitter-hr@ by 5PM PST on Friday Nov. 4th, please email xxxxxxxx.

☆ Elon Musk bars Twitter employees from the company's offices in the run up to layoffs, unless staff are working on one of his 'critical' projects
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Other than a few people on "critical" projects, employees have been told to go home. Elon Musk is closing Twitter's offices and ensuring that employees do not return for now, except for the few working directly on projects deemed "Elon critical." On Thursday evening, Twitter employees received their first communication from the company since Musk took over. "Badge access," which allows Twitter workers to enter offices with their company ID, was also being suspended without a date given for when the access would be back. Some workers are being allowed to stay however, one of the people said, those who "are working on his projects," referring to Musk.

☆ Twitter is getting sued as it gears up for mass layoffs, with lawsuit saying company didn't give employees enough notice of job cuts: Bloomberg
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Nidhi Pandurangi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A class-action lawsuit was filed against Twitter in San Francisco federal court, per Bloomberg. The lawsuit says Twitter did not give employees enough notice of layoffs, the news outlet reported. On Thursday, Twitter employees received an email from the company confirming that there would be layoffs on Friday, Insider's Kali Hays reported. Around 3,700 Twitter employees are expected to be laid off. Some Twitter employees began losing access to work platforms shortly after Musk told them to expect layoffs to begin the following day, Insider reported.

☆ Read the blunt Twitter email telling employees that their jobs are axed
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read the blunt email that notified one Twitter employee they had been laid off. Shortly after the report, Twitter sent a memo to its employees confirming the plans for layoffs and announcing its offices were temporarily closed. It was the first communication from the company that Twitter employees had received since Elon Musk took over last week. Read one of the notes sent to an employee, which Insider obtained, below: It's titled "Your Role at Twitter." Are you a Twitter employee?

☆ Some Twitter staff say they were locked out of their company Slack and email accounts the evening before mass layoffs were due to be announced
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Some Twitter workers reported being locked out of their company Slack and email accounts late Thursday. Twitter is expected to announce layoffs of up to 50% of the company's workforce on Friday. Twitter emailed staff Thursday saying layoffs would be announced at 9 a.m. PST on Friday, and that all the company's offices were being "temporarily closed." Rumman Chowdry, a director at Twitter, tweeted a picture Thursday evening appearing to show a company Google account login page saying his password w changed less than an hour ago. More than 1,000 Twitter staff had been cut from the company's workforce by around 11 p.m. PST on Thursday, according to staff and messages obtained by Insider's Kali Hays.

☆ Twitter employees will find out whether or not they've been laid off via an email called 'Your Role at Twitter,' company says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Nidhi Pandurangi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Twitter staffers are expected to receive an email titled "Your Role at Twitter" by 9 a.m. PST on Friday. If their employment is not impacted, they'll receive a note on their Twitter email, per a Musk memo. If their employment is impacted, they will receive a note with next steps via their personal email. Around 3,700 Twitter employees are expected to be hit with Musk's planned layoffs. Another employee wrote on LinkedIn: "Just got remotely logged out of my company laptop and removed from Twitter Slack.

☆ Twitter employees are flocking to social media to share news that they have been laid off, posting tributes to staff, pictures of colleagues, and some critiques of Elon Musk
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Dozens of employees posted on Twitter that they've been laid off, including people in managerial and leadership roles. Twitter sent an email to its staff on Thursday, confirming that some staff would be laid off "in an effort to place Twitter on a healthy path." Affected staff would receive an email on their personal email by 9 a.m. West Coast time on Friday, Twitter said. Dozens of employees posted on Twitter that they had been laid off, in many cases using the hashtags #OneTeam and #LoveWhereYouWorked, as well as blue heart and salute emojis. Below is a selection of tweets sent by employees laid off by Twitter:Some posted pictures of themselves with their teams, in the office, or with Twitter merchandise.

☆ Elon Musk can be 'vicious' in the workplace, a former SpaceX VP says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Grace Dean | Kiera Fields | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A former SpaceX VP says Elon Musk can be "vicious" in the workplace. Jim Cantrell told Insider staff never knew whether there were getting "good Elon" or "bad Elon." He added Musk could change Twitter's business performance "from sheer force of willpower." Musk added Twitter to his portfolio in late October, acquiring the social-media platform for $44 billion. One workplace-culture expert previously told Insider that Musk's "autocratic leadership" would be in "great contrast with the type of openness and flexible mindset that is integral to Twitter's culture."

☆ Elon Musk has been taking digs at AOC and cracking jokes while thousands of Twitter employees grappled with looming layoffs and sent each other well-wishes
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk started fights with celebrities and cracked jokes as thousands of Twitter staff waited for layoff notices. Twitter employees shared heartfelt farewells on Slack and across social media over the past few days. Twitter employees have received zero communication from Musk since he took over the company. After a week of zero communication with Twitter employees from leadership following Musk's takeover, staff received a memo on Thursday confirming that layoffs would commence on Friday. Meanwhile, Twitter staff was flooding the company's Slack channels with heart emojis and salutes, tech newsletter writer Casey Newton reported.

☆ Elon Musk jokes about overpaying for Twitter and reiterates plan to charge $8 a month at confab for wealthy investors as the company enacts mass layoffs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Hayley Cuccinello | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Musk said the layoffs will save the company $400 million a year, and presented his turnaround plan. Musk's appearance comes as he gears up to lay off as much as 50% of Twitter's 7,500 staff — one week after purchasing the struggling social media company. Musk also gave his pitch for turning the troubled social media company around, including plans to start charging verified user $8 a month. Twitter emailed staff on Thursday, warning of impending layoffs "in an effort to place Twitter on a healthy path." Former Twitter employees are flocking to social media to share their experiences.

☆ We asked top business school professors to analyze Elon Musk's first week running Twitter: 'A case study of failed leadership.'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Elon Musk's acquisition and management of Twitter is a business school case study for the ages. Insider asked leading business school professors for their views on his first week. One said he was a failed leader and should stick to innovation, another said Musk was right to clear house. 'Not right for leadership or management'Musk's approach to management is "a case study of failed leadership," as William Klepper, a management professor who teaches an executive leadership course at Columbia Business School, would define it. For Klepper, Musk's autocratic style leaves no room for constructive criticism.

☆ Elon Musk is whipping up chaos at Twitter. It's a terrible playbook for leadership following an acquisition.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Shana Lebowitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Since buying Twitter, Elon Musk has fired execs and reportedly asked for 84-hour workweeks. Musk, who rarely sticks to a leadership script, doesn't seem intent on winning employees' trust or providing clarity about the company's future. Most Twitter employees would be able to get another job relatively easily. "If you're technical talent, you're still going to be in demand if you're good," said Steve Cadigan, who runs Cadigan Talent Ventures and previously worked on mergers and acquisitions at Cisco. Even though the self-dubbed chief twit's path isn't clear to observers, Cadigan said Musk typically knows what he's doing.

☆ Elon Musk starts layoffs at Twitter immediately after an email went out saying cuts would start the next day
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk began to terminate employees late Thursday, several people told Insider. The move came just hours after an email went out telling workers to expect layoffs to begin Friday. Workers suddenly started to get locked out of things like Slack a little after 8 p.m. PT on Thursday night, multiple employees told Insider. It was an email explaining that they could expect layoffs to begin on Friday, sent after Insider reported such plans. Contact Kali Hays at khays@insider.com, on secure messaging app Signal at 949-280-0267, or through Twitter DM at @hayskali.

☆ Read the email Elon Musk sent to Twitter employees who managed to keep their jobs, saying Twitter has an ‘exciting future’
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Musk will share more details with remaining employees next week about "Twitter's exciting future." Twitter employees who have managed to keep their jobs under the ownership of Elon Musk will be getting more information on his plans for the platform next week. "Throughout the last week, Elon has spent time with a number of employees, customers, partners, policymakers and Twitter users," the note reads. Here is a full copy of what was sent to Twitter employees who will continue working under Musk, with original emphasis included. Check out Insider's source guide for other suggestions on how to share information securely.

☆ Elon Musk takes away 'days of rest' at Twitter in another major shift from Jack Dorsey's leadership style
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Kali Hays | Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Elon Musk has started to impose his more demanding style on Twitter workers. "Days of rest" were implemented in 2020 under Twitter founder Jack Dorsey's leadership. "Days of rest" were implemented at Twitter in 2020 during the first peak of the pandemic, under previous CEO and co-founder Jack Dorsey. Musk's style of leadership is not one that looks to avoid burnout. In another step away from Dorsey's leadership style, the billionaire also plans to end Twitter's remote work policy, according to a report from Bloomberg on Wednesday.

☆ Twitter — one of the first companies to let staff WFH permanently after the pandemic — plans to order employees back to the office: reports
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Twitter plans to cut about half of its workforce following Elon Musk's $44 billion acquisition. It is planning to order staff to return to the office on a full-time basis after layoffs, per Axios. The social media company was one of the first to allow staff to work from home indefinitely. After the cuts, Twitter plans to order its remaining employees to return to the office on a full-time basis, Axios reported, citing sources inside the company. Employees who need to relocate to be near a Twitter office will have as little as 60 days to do so, according to the media outlet.

☆ A 'leaving the flock' email from Twitter will tell thousands of employees on Friday that they're laid off by Elon Musk
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Twitter workers are set to learn if they have a future with the company under Elon Musk. An email is expected to go out tomorrow with a Twitter themed subject line. Twitter employees will learn tomorrow by email whether they are being eliminated by Elon Musk. An email with the subject line "Leaving the Flock" is set to go out to those Twitter employees globally who have been selected for layoffs, just a week into Musk's ownership of the platform. More than 3,700 employees are expected to be cut, as a list of workers selected for layoffs was finalized on Wednesday, as Insider reported.

Search resuls for: "Hays"

25 mentions found