WordPress Giant Automattic Trims Its Team

Automattic, the powerhouse behind WordPress. com, Tumblr, and WooCommerce, has decided to downsize its workforce. This move affects 16% of its employees, spread across various departments. Before this decision, the company had roughly 1, 744 staff members. So, around 270 individuals might have been let go. This decision comes after a challenging year for Automattic. The company has been in a heated legal dispute with WP Engine, a hosting company. The conflict revolves around WP Engine's contribution to the open-source project WordPress. org and the use of the "WP" brand, which Automattic finds misleading. The company's CEO, Matt Mullenweg, sees this restructuring as a way to make Automattic more flexible and efficient. He believes it will help the company focus on improving product quality and ensuring long-term financial stability. The layoffs will affect employees in 90 different countries. Those who lose their jobs will receive severance packages and help finding new jobs. This isn't the first time Automattic has faced employee departures. Last fall, some employees left due to the ongoing legal battle. Despite these challenges, Mullenweg remains optimistic. He thinks this move will position Automattic to create a successful and well-designed company, continuing its mission to make the internet more accessible. However, the layoffs were immediate, which means some employees found out via email and lost access to company communication tools right away. This includes long-term employees who have been with the company for over a decade. Additionally, Automattic has canceled its annual "Grand Meetup" company retreat for 2025. The company's decision to lay off employees raises questions about its future direction. While Mullenweg is confident about the company's prospects, the immediate and widespread nature of the layoffs may leave some employees feeling uncertain. It's a reminder that even large, successful companies can face significant challenges and need to adapt quickly in the fast-paced tech industry.