Twitter has reportedly sent out a company-wide email warning its estimated 7,500 employees that layoffs will start Friday.
The culling is not unexpected, as new Twitter owner Elon Musk has said repeatedly that the company needed a reduction in force and had too large a management layer. He began the culling process immediately after taking over, firing top executives and bringing in his own team from Tesla to supervise the remaining staff during the transition.
The New York Times is reporting that Twitter employees received the email of doom today, warning them of the impending axing.
Workers were instructed to go home and not return to the offices on Friday as the cuts proceeded. The message, came from a generic address and was signed “Twitter.” The email did not specify the number of cuts, but previous reports have indicated it will be in the thousands.
“In an effort to place Twitter on a healthy path, we will go through the difficult process of reducing our global work force,” the email said. “We recognize that this will impact a number of individuals who have made valuable contributions to Twitter, but this action is unfortunately necessary to ensure the company’s success moving forward.”
Musk’s early days as the Twitter owner have been controversial. Employee petitions and ad-hoc organizations that are attempting to pressure advertisers have already appeared. Musk also has stirred passions among the blue check set, saying he’ll begin charging them for their beloved mark of excellence.
Employees are already noticing the change in culture. On Thursday, Musk rescinded Twitter’s “Days of Rest,” which are monthly days off so employees can rest and recharge. Instead, pictures are emerging of employees sleeping at their desks in an effort to meet Musk’s strict deadlines on revamps of the site.
