I woke up this morning to over 500 emails from employees desperately seeking answers about what’s happening and how it will impact them. Many missed our morning briefing, citing stress levels that are off the charts. It feels like the company has come to a screeching halt, with chaos, misinformation, and a total lack of clear communication running rampant. In fact, some employees are already speculating about the impending layoffs, with talk of a 15-20% global workforce reduction—roughly 6,000 to 8,000 jobs. The cuts are expected to roll out through 2026, and it’s causing a wave of anxiety across the company.
The more I read, the more I see employees scrambling to prepare for the worst, with some even suggesting we’ll need to “learn to code”—a statement that’s sparking eye-rolls across the board. Others are reacting with disbelief, especially with the realization that many cuts might hit the US hardest, potentially eliminating entire departments. Just imagine, cutting 20% means saying goodbye to 1 in every 5 employees—an unsettling thought, especially when you consider that there are already rumors of higher cuts than initially expected, particularly in the US.
And yet, while we’re all caught in this whirlwind of uncertainty, the company continues to ramp up shareholder returns, pushing dividends and buying back shares, all while attempting to "lean out" operations. Let’s be clear: unless running this company straight into the ground is the goal, this is no way to steer the ship. The lack of transparency, the mounting stress, and the disorganized communication need to be addressed—before this complete chaos becomes the new normal.
Maybe MW is running the company into the ground so he can appear on an episode of Landman.