Elon Musk has avoided putting his name on any of the Twitter layoff memos, even as he fires thousands

Elon Musk treated employees like "commodities" in his handling of mass firings at Twitter. Experts say this will hurt the company in the long run.

• Elon Musk didn't sign the memo announcing mass layoffs at Twitter. Instead it was signed, "Thank you, Twitter." 
• The approach starkly contrasts with other recent layoffs; experts say Twitter's style may hurt in the long run. 
• One expert said Musk's handling of the firings treated workers like "commodities, not like valued employees."

Elon Musk didn't sign Twitter's layoff memo announcing to thousands of employees that the company was firing them.

Instead, the memo was signed, "Thank you, Twitter."

This approach stands in stark contrast to another recent layoff memo from Stripe, in which the CEO and president claimed "full responsibility" for the cuts and signed it with their first names.

Musk's decision not to sign the memo may not come as a surprise: Since his deal to purchase the social media company finalized, he has avoided publicly naming himself CEO and instead has referred to himself as "Chief Twit." 

At the same time, Twitter's internal systems identify him as the company's chief executive.

Management experts say Musk's "impersonal" approach to layoffs may hurt the company in the long run. 

Treating employees like 'commodities' 

"Leveraging email might be the fastest and quickest way to expedite the notification. However, I think employees deserve a more respectful approach that is more personalized," Alison Stevens, director of HR Services at Paychex, said. 

"I would say email is probably the least personal way to execute a layoff," she added. 

Robert Kelley, a management professor at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, said Twitter treated people like "commodities, not like valued employees" in its handling of the firings. 

"It leaves an odd taste in the mouth for the people sitting there waiting to know if they get the pink slip or not," he said.  

"I think you should try to be as personal as possible and to be as humane as possible with layoffs," he added. 

The layoffs might come back to bite Twitter

Teri Coyne, director of programs at GetFive, a career outplacement and development firm, said companies that mishandle layoffs might feel the pain in the long run. 

"We recommend companies do them in a thoughtful and generous way, not just because that might be the right thing to do for the individual, but it really impacts your business," she said. 

"If word gets out that people have not been treated well, it can impact your recruiting." 

Kelley echoed a similar point. 

"You want people to know that they are valued even during layoffs," he said. "Those people will all have contacts outside of Twitter, and if you get a reputation of not being a place where you're treated well, then you start seeing talent leave to other competitors."