Tech layoffs continue as GitHib decreases its staff by 10%

Unfortunately, it appears that the trend of tech layoffs continues. Today, GitHub, which is owned by Microsoft, announced that it will be reducing its workforce by 10% by the end of its fiscal year. At the time of the announcement, GitHub had a headcount of approximately 3,000 employees. Additionally, the company has decided to close all of its offices as leases come to an end, primarily due to underutilization, and will be adopting a remote-first working culture.

In addition to the layoffs, GitHub has also decided to maintain its hiring freeze, which was initially implemented in January, and implement other internal changes aimed at ensuring the long-term stability and success of the company.

A company spokesperson recently spoke to the media: ‘We announced a number of difficult but necessary decisions and budgetary realignments to both protect the health of our business in the short term and grant us the capacity to invest in our long-term strategy moving forward. You can view our CEO’s full message to employees with additional details on these changes below,’

In a departure from its previous approach of maintaining independence from its corporate parent, GitHub has decided to adopt Microsoft Teams for its video conferencing needs. This change is also indicative of the company's cost-saving efforts, as it is extending its laptop refresh cycle from three to four years.

‘Although our entire leadership team has carefully deliberated this step and come to an agreement, ultimately, as CEO the decision is mine. I recognize this will be difficult on you all, and we will approach this period with the utmost respect for every Hubber.’ This excerpt is from an email written by Thomas Dohmke, GitHub’s CEO.

The CEO has expressed his desire for the company to become the "premier engineering system for developers in the future," with a strong emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI). Given GitHub's recent emphasis on its Copilot tool and Microsoft's general shift towards AI-focused initiatives, this goal is not surprising.

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