On: Changes at YC

[balls187]

Yes it absolutely does carry a stigma.

What companies layoff their best people?

(I say as someone who has been laidoff)

[zamnos → balls187]

I mean if the company is pivoting and closing the entire division because they no longer need to, eg, make film cameras or make buggy whips, why would you keep anybody from there around? You don't need their expertise any longer. Even if they were the best at their job, if you're not doing those things any more, what would you keep them around for?

[adamckay → balls187]

> What companies layoff their best people?

Any company where the execs and decision makers are so far removed from the people they're judging, where they won't even truly understand or care what the person does, let alone who they are.

Google and Twitter and two very recent large companies that have done just that.

[2OEH8eoCRo0 → balls187]

Competent people who were effective at their job are laid off all the time. You're basically saying there's a stigma to not being the best at work.

[balls187 → 2OEH8eoCRo0]

No, I am saying there is a stigma for being laid off, which comes from the (incorrect) belief that companies don't layoff their top performers.

As noted, there are many reasons why layoffs may occur, however, the stigma of being laid off exists.

[davidw → balls187]

A company might lay off really good people when shutting down an entire business line, for example. It's different than firing someone.

[balls187 → davidw]

Right, lots of legitimate reasons why a person might get laid off, yet there is an unfair negative association with it.

Hence stigma.