This Block employee survived the ‘Thanos snap’—then refused a 90% pay bump and quit immediately. Why her explanation is going viral

Core Insights - Fintech company Block announced a significant layoff of 40% of its workforce, equating to over 4,000 jobs, citing AI efficiency as the reason despite increasing profitability [1] - CEO Jack Dorsey encouraged remaining employees to focus on building the company with intelligence at its core [1] - A notable employee, Naoko Takeda, chose to resign shortly after the layoffs, expressing feelings of guilt and shame over the situation [1][3] Layoff Details - The layoffs affected 70% of Takeda's immediate and sister teams, leaving only her and a new hire [3] - Takeda reported that the retention offer for remaining employees included a pay increase of approximately 75%, with a total compensation increase of up to 90% when factoring in bonuses [3] Employee Sentiment - Takeda expressed that the situation felt dehumanizing, stating she would prefer her peers to keep their jobs rather than benefit from their layoffs [3] - She even inquired about being included in the layoffs, highlighting the emotional toll of witnessing her colleagues lose their positions [5]