In an era of persistent lay offs within the game industry as business models shuffle, Nintendo President Saturo Iwata’s approach regarding job loss in times of financial trouble is sensible:
“If we reduce the number of employees for better short-term financial results employee morale will decrease and I sincerely doubt employees who fear that they may be laid off will be able to develop software titles that could impress people around the world.”
Shocking displays of logic that fend off disgruntled shareholders. Iwata continues, courtesy of MCV:
“I also know that some employers publicize their restructuring plan to improve their financial performance by letting a number of their employees go, but at Nintendo, employees make valuable contributions in their respective fields, so I believe that laying off a group of employees will not help to strengthen Nintendo’s business in the long run.”
While the industry remains in turmoil and risk is substantial, panic all too often sets in, letting loose supposedly expendable employees with an incalculable cost to quality. It is an all too easy “solution.” Not only does it dampen consumer relations when products dwindle in quality, job loss begins to spiral out of control. Nintendo seems to have cast a safety net.
