Originally published at: Some Google employees found they were laid off only when their badge didn't let them into the office: "Inhuman" | Boing Boing
…
8 Likes
This is standard behavior for tech. It sucks ass, but the industry by far is very trusting of its employees, and it takes just one bad actor, and I think many of us in tech have SEEN that one bad actor do it. I’ve been through enough layoffs sadly on both sides to see why it’s done this way.
6 Likes
It’s always sad when something you see happen in a comedy parody actually happens in real life.
20 Likes
I’ve seen a lot of articles trying to vilify Google in this instance for… standard practices. yeah, it sucks. And yeah, it would be great if it were better. But given the number of people, even if Google called all of these people individually, some of them would have missed the messages and tried to go to work the next day. Being escorted out by security is the correct thing to happen.
In other news: employees demand transparency in layoff decisions. Yeah, that would be nice. You know what would never work? That.
Employment in the modern environment (with some minor, mostly Union-related exceptions) quickly turns into a face-eating-leopard situation.
Sorry you lost your job but realize you didn’t get notified because some computer error. Maybe now you kind of empathize with your users who have problems.
1 Like
well, that’s just the way things are… nothing can ever change. it’s only people’s lives, not the holy market that must be protected at all costs… /s
29 Likes
The Sheriff of Nottingham was probably doing the same thing as all the other sheriffs in England, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t a villain.
31 Likes
It’s not like managers and supervisors couldn’t have been given lists of laid-off employees to call or meet with directly if they showed up at the office. 24 hours before the lay-offs took effect would be time enough.
The American HR Culture sucks and is inefficient and inhumane as a result of long series of cumulative and deliberate decisions by executive and owners to make it that way. Firing (and hiring) can be handled much better, and the leadership of a tech company like Google should be especially ashamed that they can’t get this right.
38 Likes
5 Likes
Layoffs happen, but in a union there is a clearly agreed upon process to avoid this BS.
15 Likes
Exactly. Many other places in the world, Google would not be allowed to do this. They’d have to offer a round of voluntary redundancies, then move to compulsory redundancies with severance packages, not just send an email then barricade the fucking office doors.
34 Likes
I know it’s an old “joke,” but they gave up on the “don’t be evil” thing (except for their bus wifi passwords) a long time ago.
'Murica!
8 Likes
DailyKos is laying off about 20% of its staff due to revenue shortfall. The reason for bringing this up on this post is that they, unlike other major internet players, are apparently trying to be open with their employees, the public, and negotiating with their writers’ union. One sad irony, laid out in the founder’s statement is that the (apparent?) decline of trump has contributed to a decline in their adversarial revenue -sigh-
10 Likes
They should probably take this down…
22 Likes
They could, you know, try giving some sort of reasonable notice period rather than just “you’re fired/laid off now.”
It’d help with that logistical problem and just be less assholey in general. Hell, it’s legally required in most Western countries to give employees notice (two weeks minimum here in NZ) so they can make arrangements, look for another job etc - and our healthcare and insurance isn’t even tied to our jobs. So, day-before or same day notice is even more of a dick-move in the US than it would be here.
26 Likes
That was always just a catchphrase. Nothing more.
12 Likes
4:55 on a Friday afternoon. SSDD.
7 Likes
Truth. Just saw layoffs play out (at a much smaller scale) at my job. It’s standard practice required by legal/HR/yaddayadda. Google isn’t exceptional in this practice.
BUT ALSO
I’ve worked for and with Google off and on for years. They are monsters, deep in the core of their identity. Absolute destructive sociopath monsters. Fuck them, they deserve all the vilification and ire the world can muster.
7 Likes
It’s a sack of shit, I’m appalled to learn that such behaviour might be considered standard practice in some places.
3 Likes
They could, you know, try giving some sort of reasonable notice period rather than just “you’re fired/laid off now.”
Sure, possibly. But they would still be locked out of any and all systems. That is basic security. I’m not arguing that it’s nice. As said above, all it takes is one bad actor to do something malicious because they were mad and still had access to sensitive things.
Things like severance pay are meant to replace the “two weeks notice” from the employer’s side. That, too, doesn’t always exist… but it’s the more practical solution. Still leaves the employees feeling like crap, but (assuming it’s equitable) it’s a better deal all around than a Dead Employee Walking situation.
1 Like
