Another round of layoffs may be in the works for Twitter, as reports are emerging from Bloomberg that Elon Musk is preparing a follow-on downsizing of staff after completing the release of 50% of Twitter’s workforce earlier this month.
The new round of downsizing will target Twitter’s sales and partnership programs, and are scheduled to begin on Monday.
It comes after a turbulent period last week, which began with a company email from the new CEO. It presented staff with an ultimatum to sign a document agreeing to work longer hours at “high intensity” on a more “hardcore” version of Twitter, or agree to accept three month’s severance pay and depart the company. Employees had 24 hours to respond, or Musk informed them they should consider themselves terminated. There was a mass resignation of employees, particularly among the firm’s engineers, with additional employees choosing to ignore the missive.
It was not clear if employees who chose not to sign the document were indeed terminated. On Thursday the offices were locked down as Musk ordered all badge access to Twitter facilities blocked until Monday, amid rumors of a fear of sabotage.
Subsequently Musk ordered head of marketing and sales, Robin Wheeler, and head of partnerships, Maggie Suniewick, to fire more of their workers. Both reportedly refused, and were themselves fired by Musk. Both workers posted tweets Friday which appeared to be saying goodbye to fellow employees.
Media outlets are unable to ask the company for official comments, as Musk has apparently laid off the entire communications department amid his reorganization.
In early November, shortly after Musk took the reins of the social media company in a $44 billion buyout, half of Twitter’s 7500 employees were released. The board of directors was disbanded, as CEO Parag Agrawal, CFO Ned Segal, and head of legal policy Vijaya Gadde were all let go.
The Washington Post has reported that before taking the reins, Musk had told investors he felt 75% of the company’s staff was going to be cut to make the business profitable.
