Grindr had a significant reduction in its workforce, with approximately 45% of its employees quitting rather than adhere to a return-to-office policy. The LA TIMES and Bloomberg Business report that this policy was introduced in response to a majority of employees expressing their intention to unionize.
The LGBTQ dating app company based out of West Hollywood mandated that workers return to in-person work for two days a week last month at designated “hub” offices or face termination. This led to the resignation of around 80 out of 178 employees, as reported by the Communications Workers of America in a statement released on Wednesday.
Additionally, Grindr provided severance packages to staff who couldn’t relocate, a move criticized by the CWA as an attempt to stifle workers’ voices concerning their working conditions. The CWA filed a new labor complaint against the company, marking the second such complaint in approximately a month.
CEO George Arison stated that he expected staff attrition resulting from the mandate during the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology conference in San Francisco. He indicated that the downsizing of the team would positively impact the company’s short-term financials, emphasizing the efficiency and leverage achieved with a smaller workforce. Arison acknowledged that staffing expenses were a significant cost factor for the company, second only to fees paid to app distribution platforms like Apple and Google.
The situation at Grindr underscores the broader tension between employers and employees as companies transition back to in-office work after adopting flexible remote work policies during the pandemic.
In August, the CWA informed the National Labor Relations Board that Grindr’s policy was a retaliatory response to the unionization efforts initiated by workers on July 20. The labor organizing campaign, which is ongoing and has not yet received official recognition from the company, enjoys substantial support among a proposed bargaining unit of approximately 100 employees, according to pro-union staff.
According to the LA TIMES these workforce challenges, Grindr recently increased its full-year revenue and profit margin outlook, citing strong demand for its new weekly subscription offering and other features. The company’s shares have risen by 17% this year.
Gen Zs are so damn lazy. I’ll take that job. It’s like they have to work in the slums. The PDC is a nice workspace.
Why are you assuming they are Gen Z? Most likely the majority of employees are millennials.
I have been working for a very, large grocery chain (the biggest, actually) in the country for the past 7 years and 2 months. About 4.5 years ago, way before the pandemic, if I could work remotely from my retirement house 250 miles South of my office. I prefaced the request stating that my feelings would not be hurt if they denied my request and I would understand. My immediate boss had no issues since she too had worked remotely at a previous position, but she needed to clear it with the big boss in Cincinnati. Two weeks later I… Read more »
Kroger obviously has a lot of confidence in you and you obviously do a great job for them and Rodney. I think it’s fantastic they allow you to work remote but I can tell you not all workers are suited for working remote and businesses that require collaboration do not function as well without some time in the office. Our office is 3 days in the office and Mondays and Fridays are remote. Unless it’s absolutely necessary to come in on a Friday or a Monday we try and stick with this schedule but I can tell you we’re not… Read more »
If I were Grindr I would move from West Hollywood to Atlanta or some other business friendly location. If my employees refused to come into the office 2 days a week they would be gone. Two days a week in the office is very generous. If you can go to the gym or to a movie then you can come into the office. I have no sympathy for workers being this inflexible.
It become fairly obvious you *want* West Hollywood’s economy to suffer. You’re getting enjoyment out of any hint of bad news on this website and encouraging businesses to leave the area now?
And even on posts about new businesses- you have negative and disparaging remarks as well!
Seems like maybe *you* should move to Atlanta if you hate it here so much.
The city council and employees of Grindr are the ones that want West Hollywood’s economy to suffer not me. I want it to thrive that is why I espouse small business friendly policies. Asking employees to work in the office 2 days a week is beyond reasonable. Companies like Grindr require collaboration and it’s nearly impossible to have good collaboration when everyone is working remote. I hope you never own your own business because I doubt you will be very successful. Once again all you care about is yourself.
“it’s nearly impossible to have good collaboration when everyone is working remote.”
This just isn’t true. There are plenty of tech companies with remote workers that manage just fine.
I have no stake in Grindr, how is this me “only caring about myself”???
You’re nuts.
Why do you hate businesses so much? Most of your comments are anti-business. Quite frankly, it’s up to Grindr management to decide what is best for their business not you and not their employees. Once again you are talking out of your rear end about a subject you know nothing about. I am sure Grindr will do just fine with their new energized employees. If employees are willing to quit over working in the office just 2 days a week they are worthless. Just FYI, plenty of tech companies require their employees to work in the office 3 days a… Read more »
You’re just being antagonistic at this point. Most of my comments are anti-business?
I’m the one cheering on new businesses (and actually patronizing them) meanwhile every single one of your comments is like “oh well I don’t see how they survive blah blah blah”. Just negative energy from you all around.
“I am sure Grindr will do just fine with their new energized employees”
This just shows you are illiterate. They aren’t hiring new employees. Did you even bother to read?
The bottom line is I live in the real world and you apparently live in a fantasy world. I believe in being honest and telling it like it is. You have been hostile towards every one of my posts supporting businesses. You know very little about the Grindr dispute yet you immediately take the side of workers who were upset and quit over being required to work 2 days a week in the office. Before covid these same people would have worked 5 days a week in the office. You are probably a freelance artist who works from home and… Read more »
“You know very little about the Grindr dispute yet you immediately take the side of workers who were upset and quit over being required to work 2 days a week in the office.” Natasha, Respectfully, just stop. I know way more about this than you do. Do some research into this issue and you’ll learn this was nothing more than union busting. Grindr hired most of these people for REMOTE jobs during the past 3 years and they have lives/families/leases/mortgages in other parts of the country. They did not come into the office 5 days a week pre-covid. Grindr knew… Read more »
Grindr workers wanting to unionize is laughable. I doubt their complaint will go anywhere. At-will employment means an employer can fire an employee for any reason as long as it’s not illegal. In this case the workers all quit they weren’t even fired so how does their complaint hold water? That was a really dumb move on their part. Requiring workers to actually work in their office a measly 2 days a week is union busting? LOL. If they live somewhere else they should get a job in that state or community. Nobody ever promised these people they could work… Read more »
Why would a gay dating service run by an openly gay man move to a state where civil rights are routinely attacked? Why don’t you move to Atlanta, or maybe you already live there.
Fine, let them move to Palm Springs. It doesn’t really matter where they move they should be able to determine if they need their employees in the office 2 days a week. I personally would never hire any of these employees if their only beef is working in the office two days a week and that’s what drove them to quit. That is just pathetic. They probably spend half their time with hook-ups on Grindr instead of actually working. They probably consider those hook-ups work.
You’re disgusting.
Why do you assume just because software engineers work at Grindr, they are constantly hooking up? Grow the fuck up.
This should mean more positions for the weho headquarters. Adding +/- 50 workers will help the lunch and happy hour crowds in and around the Design Center.
That is so true. Surrounding businesses always do better when people are working in offices.
Someone will be glad to take those jobs.