Elon Musk asked employees of Twitter Inc. an ultimatum to commit to the company’s new “hardcore” work environment or leave. Far more employees refused to sign up than he expected, potentially jeopardizing Twitter’s business, according to people familiar with the matter.
So many employees decided to resign that it created a cloud of confusion over which people should still be able to access company property. Twitter closed its offices until Monday, according to a memo viewed by Bloomberg. “Please continue to comply with company policy by not discussing confidential information on social media, with the press or elsewhere,” the memo added.
Musk tried to convince people to stay in the last hours before his deadline. According to people familiar with the matter, key employees were brought to meetings as the Thursday evening deadline approached to hear pitches about the social network’s future. Mr Musk, who had previously said he was strictly against remote working, also sent a follow-up email on Thursday to soften his tone.
“All that is required for approval is your manager taking responsibility for ensuring you are an outstanding contributor,” he wrote, adding that staffers should have face-to-face meetings with their colleagues no less than once a month.
It wasn’t enough. Twitter’s internal communication channels filled with employees offering a salute emoji, which has become a symbol for leaving the company. Former staff also publicly tweeted the greeting, along with their internal Slack posts.
Some employees who left speculated that so many left, along with their knowledge of how the product works, that the social network could have trouble troubleshooting or updating systems during its normal operation, according to people familiar with the case.
Twitter’s future is also complicated by a potential national security review of Mr Musk’s deal by the US government, celebrities said earlier.
Mr Musk had asked employees on Wednesday to formally indicate whether they were willing to continue working at the company – a commitment that would involve “long hours at high intensity”. Employees had until 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday to fill out a Google form.
The form contained only one possible answer: “Yes.” Anyone who did not accept the form by the deadline was told they would leave the company with a three-month severance package.
Mr Musk’s ultimatum came less than two weeks after he laid off 50% of Twitter’s workforce, or about 3,700 employees. Many Twitter employees consulted lawyers this week to determine what to do. The form contained almost no details about severance payments, and it wasn’t immediately clear whether employees would receive legal protections that would allow them to keep stock awards or keep insurance coverage.
Musk brought back leaders who had left, either as part of his own resignation or by firing, to convince others to stay, one of the people said. A returning leader is Ella Irwin, who will direct employees in Trust and Safety, according to a person familiar with the matter, who declined to disclose when discussing non-public changes.
Mr Musk later sent a follow-up email about remote working, according to a screenshot viewed by Bloomberg. “Any manager who falsely claims that someone who reports to them does an excellent job or that a particular role is essential, whether remote or not, will leave the company.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is being published from a syndicated feed.)
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