Tesla will cut its workforce by about 10% because CEO Elon Musk has a “super bad feeling” about the future of the economy, according to a new report from Reuters. The news agency cites an internal memo that was reportedly sent to Tesla executives and noted the electric car company would be pausing all hiring across the globe.
The news about Tesla’s impending reduction in staff comes, coincidentally or not, after Musk sent a company-wide email earlier this week explaining that Tesla employees can no longer work from home.
“Remote work is no longer acceptble [sic],” Musk said in an email to all Tesla executives.
Musk, who is not a founder of Tesla but likes to pretend he is, sent the email on May 31, saying that all staff should be at the office for a bare minimum of 40 hours per week, though he’ll personally approve exemptions for “particularly exceptional contributors.”
Many have speculated that Musk was attempting to drive people at Tesla to quit rather than be laid off in a rather misguided managerial move. Those at Tesla most likely to resign would likely be the most talented people who would have the easiest time finding jobs elsewhere. But Musk, despite billing himself as a super-genius, simply isn’t very bright. And pointing this out always unleashes the absolute worst sycophants on social media.
Musk, the wealthiest person in the world who’s currently worth about $US210 ($292) billion, previously shut down Tesla’s PR team because the thin-skinned billionaire strongly dislikes scrutiny from the press. But if Musk wants to chat about his latest decision to cut his workforce by 10% and freeze all hiring, he’s more than welcome to drop us a line. We’d love to talk with him about horses.