Musk demonstrates how to destroy a workplace

ON NOV 16, in yet another perplexing move by Twitter’s new chief executive officer Elon Musk, surviving employees of the Big Tech giant’s earlier layoffs were given a stark choice: be part of a new “extremely hardcore” “Twitter 2.0”, or take three months’ severance pay and leave.

It remains difficult to tell what Musk’s game plan for Twitter is, with theories ranging from right-wing ambitions to mere incompetence. Some have speculated that the ultimatum aimed precisely to purge the company of workers who might dare to challenge their new leader. If, on the other hand, Musk had thought the challenge would tap some fount of Stakhanovite zeal or tech bro machismo, he was wrong. Employees were given till 5pm the next day to make their decision, but many wasted no time in voting with their feet, whether in internal channels or publicly on Twitter itself. By the time the deadline rolled around, hundreds had opted for the severance package, according to reports.

Devotees of Musk have said that the departure of less-than-dedicated employees is no loss. Yet, the refusal to accept absurd terms is a sign of rationality, not of indolence. Indeed, in Twitter’s European markets – where labour rights are rather more developed than in the United States, to put it lightly – many employees have reportedly ignored the ultimatum, as it lacks legal force.