Tech CEO Explains That Laying Off 4,000 People Was Actually Good for Them
In a heartfelt LinkedIn post, Nexus Technologies founder Brad Hollis reflected on the "gift of clarity" he gave to thousands of former employees last Tuesday.
Brad Hollis wants you to know that he did not fire 4,000 people. He gave them an opportunity.
"This was one of the hardest decisions I've ever made," wrote Hollis, in a LinkedIn post that took approximately forty-five minutes to compose and has since received 12,000 reactions, the majority of which are the crying-face emoji. "But I believe deeply that every ending is a beginning."
Hollis, whose personal net worth increased by $340 million last quarter, said the layoffs — which he called a "workforce realignment" — were necessary to "ensure Nexus can continue to invest in the humans who remain."
The post included a personal anecdote about a difficult conversation Hollis had with himself in the mirror, a quote from a stoic philosopher, and a reminder that Nexus is hiring senior engineers.
"I've heard from so many impacted team members who are actually grateful," Hollis added, without quoting any of them.
The post concluded with a call to action encouraging displaced workers to "reach out" to Hollis on LinkedIn, where his message requests are set to filtered.