medium sees more employee exits after ceo publishes ‘culture memo’
Medium's Cultural Shift and Subsequent Departures
In April, Ev Williams, the CEO of Medium, communicated a memo to his employees addressing a change in the company’s culture following a difficult year.
Williams emphasized that a thriving culture is essential for maximizing employee potential. He stated that individuals should feel secure enough to share their ideas and participate in constructive discussions to arrive at the optimal solution.
He further explained that this requires colleagues to approach each other with positive intent and offer mutual respect.
Addressing Non-Constructive Behavior
The CEO noted that while diverse viewpoints and dissenting opinions are welcomed to improve decision-making, behaviors that are detrimental to a positive work environment are unacceptable.
Specifically, he identified interactions characterized by negativity, unfounded accusations, or a lack of constructive contribution as having a significant negative impact on team dynamics and the overall working atmosphere.
Williams explicitly stated that such behaviors would not be tolerated.
Context of the Memo
This internal communication, verified by TechCrunch, surfaced approximately one month after an attempt to unionize Medium’s staff was unsuccessful.
It also followed closely on the heels of Williams’ announcement regarding a strategic shift, moving away from substantial in-house editorial content and prioritizing user-generated contributions.
As part of this change, Medium’s editorial team received voluntary severance packages, leading to the departure of VP of Editorial Siobhan O’Connor and the entire team from GEN Magazine.
Employee Concerns and Exodus
However, numerous current and former employees have expressed to TechCrunch that the recent wave of departures is more closely linked to Williams’ “culture memo” than to the editorial pivot.
Notably, many employees outside of the editorial department – including product managers, designers, and engineers – have also left the company since the memo’s publication.
These departing individuals allege that Williams is attempting another strategic overhaul, potentially at the expense of the company’s diverse workforce.
Data on Departures
An analysis of internal data encompassing engineers, editorial staff, the product team, and portions of HR and finance reveals a significant turnover rate.
Of the 241 employees who began the year at Medium, approximately 50% have since left.
Medium disputes these figures, claiming a current employee count of 179, while acknowledging that vacancies have been filled with new hires.
Diversity and Representation
Medium reported that 52% of those who departed were white, and that one-third of the company’s workforce is comprised of individuals who are non-white and non-Asian.
However, the first engineer interviewed by TechCrunch indicated that minority groups are disproportionately represented among those who have left.
Furthermore, they noted that all three transgender engineers employed at Medium when they joined the company have since resigned.
A Perceived Authoritarian Approach
In February, a significant number of employees at Medium – primarily those within the editorial department – initiated steps toward forming a labor union. This effort to unionize ultimately proved unsuccessful, falling short of the required votes by a single margin. Some staff members believe that pressure exerted by Medium’s leadership may have influenced the voting outcome.
Following the failed unionization attempt in March, Medium announced a shift in its editorial strategy. The company presented existing editorial staff with options for new roles or offered voluntary severance packages. Employee departures followed, a common occurrence after periods of conflict like a defeated union drive and the availability of financial exit strategies.
The Culture Memo
In April, Williams, the CEO, disseminated a company-wide memo detailing his perspective on Medium’s core purpose and guiding principles. Within this communication, he emphasized that “growth necessitates risk-taking, and risk-taking inevitably involves occasional setbacks.” He also stated that “feedback should be considered valuable, and even critical feedback should be delivered with both empathy and respect.” The CEO further highlighted the company’s dedication to diversity and the importance of adapting to evolving “opportunities and challenges as a condition for success.”
Medium’s editorial direction has undergone several transformations, oscillating between subscription models, internally produced content, and a current focus on user-generated content coupled with commission-based compensation.
“Adaptability is a fundamental strength for each individual within the company, as team structures, strategies, and organizational arrangements are subject to change,” the memo stated.
While the memo does not directly reference the unionization attempt, it does address behaviors that Medium will not accept. These include “ongoing interactions that are unproductive, sow doubt, presume negative intentions, level unsubstantiated accusations, or otherwise fail to foster a positive work atmosphere, as these can significantly harm team dynamics and the working environment.”
Employees who shared their perspectives with us suggest that Williams’ memo, though intended for internal consumption, bears resemblance to statements released by Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, and Jason Fried, CEO of Basecamp. Both Armstrong and Fried previously prohibited political discussions in the workplace, citing their disruptive or “distracting” nature. Although the Medium memo doesn’t impose a complete ban on political discourse, the initial engineer interviewed indicated that the “underlying message” creates a feeling of an “unsafe work environment.” Consequently, dissatisfied employees established a separate Slack channel to discuss concerns related to Medium.
In a statement provided to TechCrunch, Medium asserted that “numerous employees expressed appreciation for the clarity of the memo, and directors and managers actively participated in its development.”
Increased Employee Turnover
The month the memo was released saw a tripling of employee turnover compared to the previous month, and a thirty-fold increase when compared to the January rate, according to internal data reviewed by TechCrunch.
The second engineer who spoke with TechCrunch resigned from the company last month, noting that the memo didn’t initially appear overtly problematic.
“The memo conveyed a sense of benevolent authoritarianism, where the language is sufficiently ambiguous to avoid concrete enforcement, yet presents a favorable image,” they explained. “If one were to read that memo in isolation, it wouldn’t be comparable to the Coinbase or Basecamp memos.”
However, considering the timing of the memo’s release, the engineer clarified their understanding of Williams’ intent.
“[Medium aims] to enforce a positive atmosphere and suppress any questioning of ‘the mission,’” they concluded.
Internal Discontent at Medium
One engineer believes that the recent departures from Medium were not primarily caused by the shift in editorial focus. Instead, they attribute the exits to a pre-existing pattern of issues within the company, exacerbated by a recent internal communication.
As an example, in July 2019, Medium published an article series featuring a profile of Joy Villa, a supporter of Donald Trump, with the headline: “I have never been as prosecuted for being Black or Latina as I have been for supporting Trump.”
Members of the Latinx community within Medium voiced their concerns to leadership regarding the headline’s problematic nature. They reported that editorial executives initially took no action until the issue was raised publicly on a Slack channel. An editor then requested individuals with direct experience of immigration or Latinx heritage to convene and articulate their perspectives, an action perceived as demeaning by one employee.
The headline was ultimately altered only after employees expressed their objections in a public Slack forum.
“There’s a belief that simply demonstrating care and actively listening is sufficient,” stated the employee. “They are often surprised to discover that this approach isn’t always enough to resolve underlying issues.”
A third engineer, who joined Medium in 2019, was initially drawn to the company’s stated mission of creating positive impact beyond the technology sector. However, they came to recognize “deeper issues” during the Black Lives Matter movement last summer.
“Problems existed that I hadn’t been aware of, as I wasn’t directly involved. These issues were largely overlooked,” they explained, referencing the Trump supporter profile. The former employee also alleged that HR disregarded a report concerning an employee’s use of a racial slur during that period, a claim Medium denies.
“I didn’t require the recent memo to understand the company’s core values,” they added.
Following reports in The Verge and Platformer detailing Medium’s challenging internal culture and inconsistent editorial strategy, the second engineer reported that employees suspected of being sources for the articles faced pressure to resign.
“In my view, they employed aggressive tactics to prevent unionization,” the first engineer commented. “However, this effort wasn’t entirely successful, as numerous individuals have chosen to leave in the aftermath of the decision. Those who remain feel compelled to conform and avoid expressing their authentic selves, as Medium has signaled its disapproval of bringing one’s whole self to work.”
The engineer contrasted Medium’s approach to internal reckoning with that of Coinbase, noting the differing expectations set by each company.
“Companies like Coinbase explicitly state they seek employees who will refrain from introducing politics and social issues into the workplace. Joining Coinbase means accepting those terms,” they said. “Medium, however, specifically recruited individuals passionate about global issues, justice, and committed to free speech and transparency.”
The engineer intends to submit their resignation shortly and is currently engaged in job interviews.
“Given the current demand for software engineers, there’s little incentive to remain with a company that treats its employees unfairly.”
If you are a current or former Medium employee wishing to share your experiences, please contact natasha.mascarenhas@techcrunch.com or via Signal at 1 925 609 4188.