Yahoos fear loss of fun-loving culture

While some employees see Microsoft's bid as a positive development, they worry a merger would cool Yahoo's free-spirited atmosphere.

The story "Yahoos fear loss of fun-loving culture" published February 2, 2008 at 8:39 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

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[www.hdgreetings.com]

The best solution

Nothing makes a "fun loving culture" like stock price and this deal makes some great gains for employee options.

I don't care how great your culture is when your options are underwater you don't feel as fun loving.

When your options make you a millionaire it's much easier to be glad your working there.

Do they want their share price to $31 with MS, or risk it going down further on their own? Think how much fun loving a $10 share price would bring.

[limefan913]

Do Yahoo employees..

get stock options now? Yeah, in a privately held company employees often do, but I don't know if I've ever heard of a publicly traded company do it.

[Penguinisto]

Most of the biggies do it.

So the answer is likely 'yes'.

/P

[benjwah]

Failure-loving culture?

Perhaps the "fun-loving culture" is the reason they're consistently tanned by Google. I've seen companies with "fun-loving" cultures before and I'm pretty sure they ALL get tanned by companies with "competitive" cultures.
I'd say that if Yahoo don't take this offer, it won't be long before their employees are enjoying the "unemployed" culture anyway.

[riffkind]

for love?

Agreed. Since when has it been fun to work at a failing company?

[J. Blow]

I know

A bunch of people there, execs and front line workers, and I don't know a single one who has been happy in the last few years.

Nobody likes a sinking stock price, management confusion, and lack of direction.

[FutureGuy]

on the other hand...

...they might get to keep their job and the have the satisfation of working for a successful company rather then a sinking one.

[Penguinisto]

I doubt that.

It's a general rule that in any merger or buyout, the smaller/bought company gets to eat a massive round of layoffs.

I also wouldn't be so eager to call Microsoft anywhere near successful. The very fact that they're willing to take on debt just to buy Yahoo? It says more about Microsoft's thrashing about in desperation than it does about any sort of 'success'.

/P

[fred dunn]

I'd rather still have a job. The rest is fun but...

without an income or job if Yahoo goes under, and they will if they don't get some serious capital to keep them going and their shareholders happy then a fun loving atmosphere means absolutely nothing if you don't have a job.