A technology professional who survived the recent layoffs at Block Inc. has resigned from the company despite being offered a 75% salary increase and a one-time bonus as part of a retention package.
The employee shared the decision in a detailed post on LinkedIn, explaining that continuing to work at the company after seeing many colleagues lose their jobs felt “shameful and dehumanising.”
Layoffs Affected Nearly Half of Workforce
The layoffs were announced by Block’s co-founder Jack Dorsey, who revealed that the financial technology company would reduce its workforce by nearly 40%, affecting around 4,000 employees.
In the post, the former employee described the experience of witnessing the layoffs unfold within minutes.
According to the tech professional, around 70% of their immediate and sister teams disappeared within a 10-minute window, leaving only a few people behind to handle the remaining work.
The sudden cuts created a sense of shock, anxiety, and survivor’s guilt, prompting the worker to reconsider staying at the company.
Retention Package Included Major Pay Increase
Following the layoffs, Block reportedly offered significant retention incentives to employees who remained.
The worker said they were offered approximately a 75% salary hike, rising to nearly 90% when including a one-time bonus.
However, the employee said the financial incentive did not feel like a reward.
“I’d rather see my peers keep their jobs than personally profit from their trauma,” the worker wrote, explaining that many colleagues had families, medical expenses, or visa concerns tied to their employment.
Request to Be Included in Layoffs
The employee also revealed that they had asked management to include them in the layoffs so they could leave alongside their colleagues.
According to the post, the request was declined.
The worker ultimately resigned the next day, stating that a company capable of removing such a large portion of its workforce did not require the traditional two-week notice period.
Questions Over AI-Driven Restructuring
Block leadership has attributed the layoffs to a structural shift toward artificial intelligence and automation.
However, the former employee questioned the reasoning, saying they had seen limited productivity gains from AI tools within their team.
The worker argued that employees had been encouraged to adopt AI systems extensively, only to later see job cuts justified by the same technological shift.
Growing Debate Over AI and Job Security
The layoffs at Block have added to a broader discussion in the global technology industry about AI-driven restructuring and job security.
While companies increasingly invest in automation and AI systems, critics argue that such changes may lead to large-scale workforce reductions and uncertainty for employees.
Despite the controversy, Block leadership maintains that the company remains financially stable and strategically focused on future technological development.
