The hierarchy, the obligation to return to the offices, the reduction in the distribution of profits and the general impression that the executives are not in contact with the company have led employees to Blizzard Entertainment they feel frustrated there demoralized after the recent meeting of all company employees.
This meeting was meant to address the discontent that arose when Blizzard developers were asked to return to desk work, but the gap between management and employees only widened.
President Mike Ybarra and other Blizzard executives spoke with employees via Zoom at the all-employee meeting, addressing concerns they had about toxic workplace practices, as well as the end of the company’s work-from-home policy.
The answers they gave to these pre-screened questions caused great angst among the attendees, as Mike Ybarra reportedly compared the salaries of executives to rank and file employees. Additionally, he defended Blizzard’s decision to cut annual profit sharing bonuses despite a strong quarter, implying that quality assurance and customer support functions weren’t “long-term disciplines” in the company. ‘business.
After the reunion, many Blizzard Entertainment employees took to social media, including Twitter, to talk about the reunion, as well as the stressful and demoralizing politics that continue to perpetuate at the company.
According to reports from various sources, the comment that caused the most anger was when Ybarra said the following: “If you think executives make a lot of money and you don’t, you live in a myth.”
The context of Ybarra’s statement refers to the fact that executives and employees have been hit by the profit cuts, but many would argue that executive compensation is not comparable to the salaries of developers and lower-ranking employees. .
Another significant point of contention among attendees was Ybarra’s defense of the company’s categorization policy. Tech workers have long argued that it’s a toxic and ineffective way to boost productivity, and Microsoft, future parent company of Activision Blizzard, banned the practice in 2013.