Wagner James Au / New World Notes

Just got some pretty amazing new data from Blind, the anonymous online community app for employees: In a survey of Twitter staff using the app conducted from November 7 to 10, a full 89% say they don't believe Twitter will succeed as the social network company's new CEO.  (See image above.) 

Based on incessant reports of major layoffs and resignations by top execs, I expected a large-ish percentage of Twitter's staff to have a negative outlook on Musk's leadership. But 9 in 10, nearly the entire company? This also suggest Musk's reported all-hands meetings and internal pep talks at Twitter have not helped morale — nor has his general reputation as a tech genius capable of pulling off seemingly impossible tasks. (Historically, admired tech executives are able to build overall morale after a layoff.) 

Elon Musk's Twitter takeover has helped helped one online community, at least: The Twitter employees using Blind. 

"The increase in usage from Twitter employees has been incredible," Blind's Rick Chen tells me. "They now check Blind an average of four times a day compared to an average of two times a day six months ago (i.e., before news broke about Elon having bought a stake in the company). Twitter users are almost exclusively posting and reading content in the private company channel."

In fact, over three in four Twitter employees are now active Blind users. 

"We now have more than 6,100 users from Twitter on Blind, or more than 80% of all Twitter employees," says Chen. "About a quarter of our Twitter users signed up in the last six months (between March and October 2022)." [Update, November 14: As of last Friday, Chen tells me, "There are now more than 7,100 verified Twitter professionals on Blind or about 95% of the pre-layoff employee count!"]

This survey also asked Blind employees how fellow staffers were treated in the recent layoffs ordered by Musk:

Asked their reaction to the statement, "I believe Twitter treated employees with dignity and empathy during the layoff", a full 95% of respondents disagreed, almost all vehemently so.

This is also a troubling sign of Twitter's future prospects. Layoffs in large companies are common and expected in rough times, but if they're handled poorly, it's a strong motivator for the remaining employees to look for the next available exit — and as those bad vibes spread through the Valley, discourages talented new hires from joining the team.

Couple more questions from the Blind survey enforce that sense:

Data and images courtesy Rick Chen of Blind