These are abnormal circumstances. I wonder if it is possible to delay the layoffs by cutting salaries - maybe instead of firing 5 out of 10 equally paid people, they can cut the salaries of all 10 people by half (or something like that).

Any which way these are hard decisions :(

Cutting salaries in half guarantees they lose all the top performers, and probably more than half, instead of the 5 they pick. I don't believe that is the goal.

Yes, during normal times. But these are not normal times - like, who is hiring now? If I were a top performer, I'd take a salary cut if it means saving my colleague's job.

I get what you are saying though. They are a business and I guess they're doing what is best for their business. The severance package is generous (relatively speaking), so there's at least that.

Edit : I guess I didn't word this properly. I was saying they'd lose top performers if their salaries are cut, during normal times.

> But these are not normal times - like, who is hiring now?

Facebook and Amazon, just to mention a couple of giants that would probably love if every company doing layoffs right now would instead halve their top performers' compensation.

This is not as relevant in the Airbnb case since the expected value of RSUs went down so much that this is effectively the case even with no salary cuts.

>> Yes, during normal times. But these are not normal times - like, who is hiring now?

Lots of companies with cash reserves, picking up good talent on the market.

> "If I were a top performer, I'd take a salary cut if it means saving my colleague's job."

Would you, really? If you can get a job at FB/AMZN/GOOG/Netflix paying the same or more, would you really stay? Highly unlikely I think.

Yes, I would. Actually the higher the salary, the easier it is to give up a portion of the salary, at least for me.

I understand your skepticism, but I would - I am single and my needs are small, so it is not like my kids are gonna starve.

Good on you, but you are probably in the minority. Even if 1 in 10 people are as charitable as you, the company wouldn't want to lost the other 9.

> who is hiring now?

Facebook and Amazon, to name a couple that have contacted me in the last week.

During what ‘normal times’ are salary cuts okay?

Lyft cut salaries in addition to layoffs

Certainly not by half, though

> imagine how much it sucks to be laid off

Never a good time, but especially in this environment!

I recall that airbnb workforce has become very marketing lopsided (vs. tech). Whereas tech folks generally have an easier time landing, I imagine the environment for the next 9-12mos being very bad for marketing/MBA folks.