What Amazon is telling employees amid Iran war; Uber CEO says not to expect work-life balance
Plus, Block CEO announces layoffs and shares the memo on X.
Greetings, comms pros! Let’s take a look at a few news stories from the past week and see what we can learn from them.
1. Amazon shares guidance, logistics for Middle East employees following war in Iran
As the Iran war rages on this week, Amazon is providing guidance to employees to stay safe as best they can. According to a memo obtained by Business Insider, Amazon told its employees in Jordan and Saudi Arabia to remain indoors for their safety, business travel to Israel and Lebanon has been stopped, and employees across the region are being asked to work from home. The memo also told employees to “follow local government guidelines”.
“Our priority is the safety of our employees and partners across the region, and we’re working closely with our local teams to ensure they have the support they need,” an Amazon spokesperson said in an email to Business Insider.
2. Uber chief tells employees to commit to performance — or leave
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi recently went on the “Diary of a CEO” podcast and said that the work ethic at the company needs to be a primary employee concern, and if he senses that employees aren’t working up to the strenuous standard, it’ll be time to find a new job.
“We’re going to be really demanding,” he said. “If you’re not performing, we’re going to let you know. And if you don’t fix it, we’re going to push you out.”
He added that work-life balance won’t always meet the company’s needs.
“Part of working hard is sending emails to the team on a Saturday,” he continued. “And if I don’t get a response on Saturday, sending them an email on Sunday with a question mark. What’s going on?”
He also warned employees who weren’t committed to adjusting to the breakneck pace of Uber’s culture.
“While you will have worked hard, you’re going to have a great time,” the CEO said. “But don’t come here if you want to coast.”
When leaders publicly define the standards around workload and job expectations, internal communications may need to step in to ensure employees understand the broader context of the comments and how they match with the company’s performance standards. Also, if a company culture is in the middle of a shift, internal comms and leaders need to work together to make that clear. Regardless of what you think of Khorowshahi’s take, you can’t accuse him of not communicating his thoughts on Uber’s culture clearly.
3. Block CEO Dorsey announces ‘awkward and human’ layoffs
Former Twitter CEO and current Block chief Jack Dorsey let employees know that the company was cutting 40% of roles. Heshared the layoff memo on his former social platform not long after breaking the news to the company’s workers.
In an X post, Dorsey told employees that AI had effectively made many roles obsolete. He said that the company wasn’t losing money, but instead needed to be well-positioned for what lies ahead.
“I had two options,” Dorsey wrote. “Cut gradually over months or years as this shift plays out, or be honest about where we are and act on it now.” Obviously, he chose the latter.
Dorsey also said the company would give affected employees up to 20 weeks of severance and other benefits, and that Block would leave social channels open to laid-off workers for a few days so everyone had a chance to say goodbye to their colleagues.
“I know doing it this way might feel awkward,” he wrote. “I’d rather it feel awkward and human than efficient and cold.”
In their approach, Dorsey and Block show a sense of humanity about such a world-shattering move for so many employees while simultaneously explaining the business rationale for such a seismic layoff. Announcing in a public forum also removes the typical buffer that companies have by sharing layoff news only internally. Both employee audiences and the general public are recipients of the news, and the words need to reflect that. Dorsey’s tone, while direct, aims to put both the needs of the business and concern for affected employees in a prominent place, which can be a challenge during layoff communications.
4. How about some good news?
- A Philadelphia man is using a mobile laundromat to help the homeless clean their clothes.
- Croatia was declared landmine-free after 30 years of work trying to remove the weapons from the landscape.
- Kazakhstan is preparing to reintroduce wild tigers into its wilderness for the first time in decades.
- Ragan Training is an excellent place for communications professionals to find inspiration and valuable resources.
- You should be rewarded for your work. Find out how to earn an award here!
Have a great weekend comms all-stars!
Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications.
The Uber CEO believes that “work-life balance” and “coasting” are synonymous. She is mistaken. If this CEO fails to recognize the critical importance of “work-life balance” in today’s labor market, it will be detrimental for them.