The recent announcement by Elon Musk to cut at least 10% of Tesla's workforce has created an atmosphere of uncertainty and anxiety among employees. With ongoing job cuts expected to continue until at least June, many Tesla workers find themselves constantly on edge, unsure if they will be the next to receive a layoff notice.
Michael Minick, a former Tesla sales representative who was part of the layoffs in April, expressed the emotional toll of living with such uncertainty. He described the feeling of walking on eggshells every day at work, with the fear of not being able to meet financial obligations looming large.
The morale within Tesla's workforce has taken a hit, with some employees attributing it to Musk's focus on projects like a robotaxi over the core manufacturing of electric vehicles. The lack of clarity from Musk regarding the end of the layoffs only adds to the anxiety among employees.
The layoffs have affected various departments, including sales and human resources, and are expected to reduce Tesla's workforce from over 140,000 employees at the beginning of the year. Within the Supercharger division, key personnel departures have raised questions about the future of the team and the sustainability of operations.
Former employees have raised concerns about the impact of layoffs on the efficiency and reliability of Tesla's charging infrastructure, especially as demand for electric vehicles has slowed industry-wide. Rich Otto, who recently resigned as Tesla's head of product launches, emphasized the importance of a thriving workforce for the success of the company, highlighting the disruption caused by recent layoffs.
Overall, the ongoing job cuts at Tesla have created a challenging environment for employees, with uncertainty about the future casting a shadow over the company's operations and morale.
