Microsoft to Cut 9k Workers in Second Wave of Major Layoffs

Earlier in my career I worked for a tech industry-famous CEO who is long retired.

One of the most unconventional things he taught me was that “our highest obligation is to employees and their families. Second is to investors. Third is to the communities we operate in. Obviously don’t ever say this in a board meeting or investor conference”.

And he meant it. When products got cancelled, people got reassigned. Terminations for poor performance happened but were individual cases.

I’m quite sure the idea of firing people to goose the share price never even crossed his mind.

He retired before the business climate could move against him

Did the company crash? In other words, was it a sustainable way of working, or was it a way that did not only end up removing the jobs of those who would have been fired, but also those who wouldn’t have been, destroying more jobs than it saved by reassigning people?

Hi @crmd For that tech industry-famous CEO, did the company that they used to run continue/preserve even a little bit of that good and common-sense approach? Because if so, then I'd love to know the name of the firm...so that i can immediately apply for a role there. (My profile has my email address if you wish to keep the company name sharing private.) Mind you, I'm employed, but, ahem, less than enthused with my current state of affairs. :-)

Aren't most MSFT employees also shareholders thanks to stock awards?

That's how they retain them.