Bumble CEO’s Layoff Response Sparks Public, Internal Backlash
Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd faced significant employee backlash after announcing plans to cut 30% of the company’s global workforce, including more than 160 roles in London. The decision comes amid declining revenues and increasing concerns about the future of the dating app amid a broader industry slowdown.
During a company-wide call, Wolfe Herd emphasized the urgent need for cost-cutting measures, warning that dating apps are “feeling like a thing of the past.” Despite 70% of Bumble’s staff being based in the UK, London was hit hardest by the layoffs. When employees reacted with negative emojis in a private chat during the call, the CEO responded sharply: “I see a lot of freaking-out emojis, y’all need to calm down,” adding that staff were “overreacting” and “going to have to be adults in dealing with this.”
During the meeting, Wolfe Herd told employees to “calm down” in response to negative reactions. She acknowledged concerns about the company’s future and said the cuts were necessary to avoid collapse by 2026. She also announced that Bumble’s operational focus would shift more heavily to the U.S., citing a stronger talent pool.
The comments and tone struck many as dismissive both within the company and among the app’s wider target audience, particularly given the emotional and financial impact on employees losing their jobs. Statements such as “this is being taken out of context” and “everyone’s going to have to be adults in dealing with this” did little to ease tensions, and instead intensified backlash internally and externally.
While Bumble’s current situation may necessitate layoffs to keep the company afloat, this difficult announcement definitely caused an upset within the brand. Bumble’s market value has, over the past four years, dropped sharply from $13 billion to around $700 million, and the layoffs are expected to save the company approximately $40 million annually for product development – with Wolfe Herd advising employees to take the rest of the week off amid heightened tensions.
