I think the argument is that you shouldn't get into the position where mass layoffs are the solution, just like you shouldn't get into the position where gastric bypass surgery is your only option.

Something like each team is maintaining themselves at a proper rate, laying off inside the team as necessary. But even then you will at times have to fire entire teams, but those aren't really a "mass layoff" so much as "we're not doing X anymore".

I mean if your company makes ~150M a quarter and has operating expenses of 217M and cost of revenues of 53M a 6% cut towards your operating expenses isn't going to get you anywhere close to profitable.

https://investors.confluent.io/node/8031/html

Hiring freeze, for one. Then anyone that leaves won’t be replaced and headcount will (presumably) go down trauma free.

Use those people to build products that increase revenues. Isn't that why they were hired in the first place?