Severance Plans to Respect People

Yahoo’s Severance Plans a Defense Against Microsoft?

Yahoo’s board of directors has created an expansive severance package for all full-time employees who are either terminated without “cause” or leave on their own with “good reason” following a “change in control of the company.”

The severance packages would extend regular compensation for a period of four months to two years, depending on the employee’s job level. Employees would also receive continued health benefits, financial assistance for finding a new job (up to $15,000) and accelerated vesting of stock options. The move comes as reports are circulating that Microsoft will go hostile in its acquisition bid, waging a proxy battle to replace Yahoo’s board rather than raise its offer.

Interesting. Yahoo does seem to be losing staff so there is a business reason (even for those that don’t think the way I do about benefiting all stakeholders). It also seems to fit with respect for people to me. I actually am leaning toward thinking this is something lean/Deming companies should adopt to show that the company does not support treating employees as costs to be reduced. I could see those that see companies more like balance sheets than system would object to implementing a new idea that makes MBA style layoffs more difficult. I am fine with that. I’m sure Yahoo! is actually driven partially by the poison pill feature of such a plan (which isn’t the greatest place to start but I can live with that). I haven’t thought this through completely but I like it now.

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