Some Blizzard Employees 'Struggling to Make Ends Meet' In New Report

System · August 2020

Some Blizzard Employees 'Struggling to Make Ends Meet' In New Report

Employees of Blizzard, developers behind World of Warcraft, have started sharing around a spreadsheet which contains salaries, pay increases, and more in a new report by Bloomberg.

Read the full story here

Boltonsquad · August 2020

Customer service staff in the UK (Call Centres) only receive minimum wage so not sure why that would be a surprise.

Nanfoodle · August 2020

Boltonsquad said:

Customer service staff in the UK (Call Centres) only receive minimum wage so not sure why that would be a surprise.

The gap of the worlds wealth used to be the 1%. That number is getting worse, in recent years its now something like 0.74% hold the world's wealth. Around the world the middle class keeps shrinking and every year 3-5 mill children die from malnutrition. It surprises me every day how greed is getting worse and humanity can turn a blind eye to our common problems we all face. Empathy is waning.

In short: Blizzard seems to be part of that problem.

sschrupp · August 2020

"Most raises are actually below 10%"? Isn't the national average somewhere around 3%? I wish my raises were normally so high that I'd be upset about getting a below 10% one. I'm not saying their employees have no other reasons to complain, but that particular statement seems odd to me.

Slapshot1188 · August 2020

Not sure if this is poor writing but WTF:
"It seems that more than 50% of the company’s employees are unhappy in their current compensation. An anonymous spreadsheet was created and circulated around Blizzard. Bloomberg reports that most raises are actually below 10%. "

1. No shit... I'm sure that at least 50% of employees in most companies wish they made more money.

2. Outside of promotions I have never received any annual raise that was close to 10%. Last 2 years my company gave blanket 3% and 2% raises.

Nanfoodle · August 2020

sschrupp said:

"Most raises are actually below 10%"? Isn't the national average somewhere around 3%? I wish my raises were normally so high that I'd be upset about getting a below 10% one. I'm not saying their employees have no other reasons to complain, but that particular statement seems odd to me.

Was the norm in the past that employers would give inflation + a raise for their staff, over the decades that has passed. In part that is why the middle class is shrinking. Business make profits like Blizzards does but does not pass consideration to their staff in that figure. This happens in many businesses and we have come to accept it as the norm.

Slapshot1188 · August 2020

Nanfoodle said:

sschrupp said:

"Most raises are actually below 10%"? Isn't the national average somewhere around 3%? I wish my raises were normally so high that I'd be upset about getting a below 10% one. I'm not saying their employees have no other reasons to complain, but that particular statement seems odd to me.

Was the norm in the past that employers would give inflation + a raise for their staff, over the decades that has passed. In part that is why the middle class is shrinking. Business make profits like Blizzards does but does not pass consideration to their staff in that figure. This happens in many businesses and we have come to accept it as the norm.

Don;t get me wrong... I'd love a 10% raise every year but I think listing that as a complaint demonstrates at least a partial disconnect from reality by these "agitators".

Kyleran · August 2020

Slapshot1188 said:

Not sure if this is poor writing but WTF:
"It seems that more than 50% of the company’s employees are unhappy in their current compensation. An anonymous spreadsheet was created and circulated around Blizzard. Bloomberg reports that most raises are actually below 10%. "

1. No shit... I'm sure that at least 50% of employees in most companies wish they made more money.

2. Outside of promotions I have never received any annual raise that was close to 10%. Last 2 years my company gave blanket 3% and 2% raises.

Chalk it up to poor writing which took the statement out of context. MOP provided better insight on the complaint.

"Blizzard promised to study and overhaul compensation last year, and now that overhaul is in, but disappointed employees are now sharing their wages and wage increases in a secret spreadsheet to compare just how far the company had come. Apparently not far: The majority of raises fell under 10%, much less than expected, given that some staff took on additional duties from their laid-off compatriots; there are even references to staff skipping meals and living on coffee and oatmeal and postponing families because of the poor pay for the Irvine area in the last few years."

https://massivelyop.com/2020/08/04/blizzard-staffers-agitate-against-poor-worker-pay-as-acti-blizz-rakes-in-billions/

Horusra · August 2020

If so unhappy then quit.

Nanfoodle · August 2020

Horusra said:

If so unhappy then quit.

And what? You gonna give them a job. This is systemic problem.

Theocritus · August 2020

Most CEOs are figureheads and completely worthless. They should not be paid anywhere near what they get.

Kyleran · August 2020

Horusra said:

If so unhappy then quit.

While I agree I also understand why that option isn't so easy to make sometimes due to a individual circumstances.

Slapshot1188 · August 2020

remsleep said:

Slapshot1188 said:

Not sure if this is poor writing but WTF:

"It seems that more than 50% of the company’s employees are unhappy in their current compensation. An anonymous spreadsheet was created and circulated around Blizzard. Bloomberg reports that most raises are actually below 10%. "

1. No shit... I'm sure that at least 50% of employees in most companies wish they made more money.

2. Outside of promotions I have never received any annual raise that was close to 10%. Last 2 years my company gave blanket 3% and 2% raises.

I've asked CEOs about their pay - and at least the ones that I've talked to have openly said that the pay has gotten increasingly higher as that's how the market for CEOs is - but yes they said the salaries have gotten too high

When you have employees making $30,000 and the CEO is making 40million the CEO is making

40,000,000/30,000 = 1333

A single person is making 1333 times more per yer - you could hire over a thousand people for 30K and the CEO would still make 10mil dollars

That is an obvious problem

The article says that the skilled employees like Producers and Programmers were making $100k. The positions like game testers were making minimum wage. Now we can have a rational discussion about what minimum wage should be, but in general, a job as a game tester would not be a career but a starter job not meant to support a family.

I can't re-read the Bloomberg article as I am out of free articles but that's what I recall from reading it.

But as I said above... if they are complaining about most raises being below 10% then they have a disconnect from reality.

IceAge · August 2020

Slapshot1188 said:

Not sure if this is poor writing but WTF:

"It seems that more than 50% of the company’s employees are unhappy in their current compensation. An anonymous spreadsheet was created and circulated around Blizzard. Bloomberg reports that most raises are actually below 10%. "

1. No shit... I'm sure that at least 50% of employees in most companies wish they made more money.

2. Outside of promotions I have never received any annual raise that was close to 10%. Last 2 years my company gave blanket 3% and 2% raises.

Sure, than they would say "Ok , we will keep working...", but guess what? They will no longer hold true to the company vision and they will be "whatever".

So if a company is having (much) higher revenues every year, is SAFER to also increase workers wages, if you want them to keep working like before and keep the company revenues growing. 2/3 % will not help. Not at all.

And stop making this comparation with other companies OUT of this industry. Every industry is different.

Also I have no problem if an CEO is making this much money, IF, the workers are also happy with the company and with their wages. When the workers starts to "lose hope", because of the salary, the said company will, sooner rather then later, collapse. Not totally, but .. to a point where it will be very hard to "come back".

And I kinda see this ...trend @ Blizzard!

Nanfoodle · August 2020

Slapshot1188 said:

remsleep said:

Slapshot1188 said:

Not sure if this is poor writing but WTF:

"It seems that more than 50% of the company’s employees are unhappy in their current compensation. An anonymous spreadsheet was created and circulated around Blizzard. Bloomberg reports that most raises are actually below 10%. "

1. No shit... I'm sure that at least 50% of employees in most companies wish they made more money.

2. Outside of promotions I have never received any annual raise that was close to 10%. Last 2 years my company gave blanket 3% and 2% raises.

I've asked CEOs about their pay - and at least the ones that I've talked to have openly said that the pay has gotten increasingly higher as that's how the market for CEOs is - but yes they said the salaries have gotten too high

When you have employees making $30,000 and the CEO is making 40million the CEO is making

40,000,000/30,000 = 1333

A single person is making 1333 times more per yer - you could hire over a thousand people for 30K and the CEO would still make 10mil dollars

That is an obvious problem

The article says that the skilled employees like Producers and Programmers were making $100k. The positions like game testers were making minimum wage. Now we can have a rational discussion about what minimum wage should be, but in general, a job as a game tester would not be a career but a starter job not meant to support a family.

I can't re-read the Bloomberg article as I am out of free articles but that's what I recall from reading it.

But as I said above... if they are complaining about most raises being below 10% then they have a disconnect from reality.

Its the imbalance is the take away not the 10% raise. Its not the minimum wage. All these things are a problem but we need to look past that stuff and really look at the bigger picture. For example, a few years ago there was a report on what it would cost globally to make sure every person on the planet to have access to clean drinking water. The cost: 2 billion. Could you get the people who hold most of the worlds wealth that's top 0.74% to give that? Would it even effect them? Nope it would not affect them and nope you can't get them to do that.

Really is minimum wage really a fair state of things? Is it fair that people who has pre-existing conditions cant afford medical insurance? Is it fair that drug companies mark up life saving drugs by 5000%? Is it fair thats Blizzard having second quarter revenue growth of 38% or $1.93 billion not look at giving everyone who helped them get thats say 5% of that as a bonus? Or even 1%?

Horusra · August 2020

Nanfoodle said:

Horusra said:

If so unhappy then quit.

And what? You gonna give them a job. This is systemic problem.

If everyone walks out the company either has to offer more cash to get them to stay or they just prove the market demand for that job with that pay is right. Asking an outside force to come in and "fix" your systemic problem is a problem. Who gets to set the rates? Who gets to pick what jobs are important and which are not?

While unions in the past killed themselves by becoming parasites instead of partners with companies they serve a purpose if done right.

People just need to stop thinking that flipping burgers at McD's is a job that should support a family by itself.

Slapshot1188 · August 2020

IceAge said:

Slapshot1188 said:

Not sure if this is poor writing but WTF:

"It seems that more than 50% of the company’s employees are unhappy in their current compensation. An anonymous spreadsheet was created and circulated around Blizzard. Bloomberg reports that most raises are actually below 10%. "

1. No shit... I'm sure that at least 50% of employees in most companies wish they made more money.

2. Outside of promotions I have never received any annual raise that was close to 10%. Last 2 years my company gave blanket 3% and 2% raises.

Sure, than they would say "Ok , we will keep working...", but guess what? They will no longer hold true to the company vision and they will be "whatever".

So if a company is having (much) higher revenues every year, is SAFER to also increase workers wages, if you want them to keep working like before and keep the company revenues growing. 2/3 % will not help. Not at all.

And stop making this comparation with other companies OUT of this industry. Every industry is different.

Also I have no problem if an CEO is making this much money, IF, the workers are also happy with the company and with their wages. When the workers starts to "lose hope", because of the salary, the said company will, sooner rather then later, collapse. Not totally, but .. to a point where it will be very hard to "come back".

And I kinda see this ...trend @ Blizzard!

So you would support a pay for performance model? When the company makes a lot of money the folks get large raises and when the company loses a lot of money they get salary reductions? Or in your mind does it only work one way?

It would be nice for a company to share a great year by handing out bonuses. That's more sustainable than adjusting base pay.

jazz.be · August 2020

OK in many companies you would find that 50% or more are not entirely happy with their package. And honestly 10% raise is a very good raise imo, if given regularly, like every 1 or 2 years. And it depends on what the employee's role is and what the current salary is.
In another article I read today on the same subject about employees drinking free coffee to handle the hunger cause they're skipping lunches to pay for rent.
I think some of that might be exaggerations. You can make a sandwich at home and take it to work and it will cost you very little. Sure you're skipping a 20 euro/dollar pizza, fine. I did that for years not because I needed to but because your own food is the best food there is anyway.

However here's the point though, I don't need all of this drama to believe Blizzard takes advantage of their employees. They all do. Usually those jobs who can be filled quickly and easily are treated badly. It's the principle of supply and demand.
Here where I live employees have quite decent protection against greed from companies.

But that might be too much of socialism for our friends in the US

Horusra · August 2020

Nanfoodle said:

Slapshot1188 said:

remsleep said:

Slapshot1188 said:

Not sure if this is poor writing but WTF:

"It seems that more than 50% of the company’s employees are unhappy in their current compensation. An anonymous spreadsheet was created and circulated around Blizzard. Bloomberg reports that most raises are actually below 10%. "

1. No shit... I'm sure that at least 50% of employees in most companies wish they made more money.

2. Outside of promotions I have never received any annual raise that was close to 10%. Last 2 years my company gave blanket 3% and 2% raises.

I've asked CEOs about their pay - and at least the ones that I've talked to have openly said that the pay has gotten increasingly higher as that's how the market for CEOs is - but yes they said the salaries have gotten too high

When you have employees making $30,000 and the CEO is making 40million the CEO is making

40,000,000/30,000 = 1333

A single person is making 1333 times more per yer - you could hire over a thousand people for 30K and the CEO would still make 10mil dollars

That is an obvious problem

The article says that the skilled employees like Producers and Programmers were making $100k. The positions like game testers were making minimum wage. Now we can have a rational discussion about what minimum wage should be, but in general, a job as a game tester would not be a career but a starter job not meant to support a family.

I can't re-read the Bloomberg article as I am out of free articles but that's what I recall from reading it.

But as I said above... if they are complaining about most raises being below 10% then they have a disconnect from reality.

Its the imbalance is the take away not the 10% raise. Its not the minimum wage. All these things are a problem but we need to look past that stuff and really look at the bigger picture. For example, a few years ago there was a report on what it would cost globally to make sure every person on the planet to have access to clean drinking water. The cost: 2 billion. Could you get the people who hold most of the worlds wealth that's top 0.74% to give that? Would it even effect them? Nope it would not affect them and nope you can't get them to do that.

Really is minimum wage really a fair state of things? Is it fair that people who has pre-existing conditions cant afford medical insurance? Is it fair that drug companies mark up life saving drugs by 5000%? Is it fair thats Blizzard having second quarter revenue growth of 38% or $1.93 billion not look at giving everyone who helped them get thats say 5% of that as a bonus? Or even 1%?

If you libertarian Minimum wage is a horrible idea. There are lots of reasons why health care costs what it does. As for drugs depends. I think the generic laws need to be changed to promote competition but I also think a company that spends 2 Billion to make a drug deserves to make profit from it so they have incentive to make new drugs.

Bonuses and salaries are much different things. But again if you do not like it organize, leave, or accept your fate. I am completely against governments stepping in.

Nanfoodle · August 2020

Horusra said:

Nanfoodle said:

Horusra said:

If so unhappy then quit.

And what? You gonna give them a job. This is systemic problem.

If everyone walks out the company either has to offer more cash to get them to stay or they just prove the market demand for that job with that pay is right. Asking an outside force to come in and "fix" your systemic problem is a problem. Who gets to set the rates? Who gets to pick what jobs are important and which are not?

While unions in the past killed themselves by becoming parasites instead of partners with companies they serve a purpose is done right.

People just need to stop thinking that flipping burgers at McD's is a job that should support a family by itself.

Why should the common person making minimum wage have to give up their income to get that wealthy 0.74% to consider them? How long will they need to go before they do consider them? Would they instead just hire other people needing work over giving them a raise? Most people live paycheck to paycheck, they cant afford giving up one paycheck. Why can't the 0.74% holding most of the worlds wealth just do the right thing and look at the human equation?

Horusra · August 2020

Nanfoodle said:

Horusra said:

Nanfoodle said:

Horusra said:

If so unhappy then quit.

And what? You gonna give them a job. This is systemic problem.

If everyone walks out the company either has to offer more cash to get them to stay or they just prove the market demand for that job with that pay is right. Asking an outside force to come in and "fix" your systemic problem is a problem. Who gets to set the rates? Who gets to pick what jobs are important and which are not?

While unions in the past killed themselves by becoming parasites instead of partners with companies they serve a purpose is done right.

People just need to stop thinking that flipping burgers at McD's is a job that should support a family by itself.

Why should the common person making minimum wage have to give up their income to get that wealthy 0.74% to consider them? How long will they need to go before they do consider them? Would they instead just hire other people needing work over giving them a raise? Most people live paycheck to paycheck, they cant afford giving up one paycheck. Why can't the 0.74% holding most of the worlds wealth just do the right thing and look at the human equation?

because humans by nature are not herd animals. We are self interested animals that like to live in a group. There is a big difference. You are not going to be able to change that.

Utinni · August 2020

This is every industry ever. Not sure why crunch and low wages only get brought up when it's video game developers.

Vrika · August 2020

Horusra said:

Nanfoodle said:

Horusra said:

If so unhappy then quit.

And what? You gonna give them a job. This is systemic problem.

If everyone walks out the company either has to offer more cash to get them to stay or they just prove the market demand for that job with that pay is right. Asking an outside force to come in and "fix" your systemic problem is a problem. Who gets to set the rates? Who gets to pick what jobs are important and which are not?

While unions in the past killed themselves by becoming parasites instead of partners with companies they serve a purpose is done right.

People just need to stop thinking that flipping burgers at McD's is a job that should support a family by itself.

If we let market supply and demand cause a situation where many people can't see viable alternatives to support their family legally, many of those people will turn into crime, and eventually it's bad for the society too.

There must be a balance between free market and taking care that vast enough majority can live their lives legally. If that balance is broken it becomes a systemic problem.

Slapshot1188 · August 2020

Horusra said:

Nanfoodle said:

Slapshot1188 said:

remsleep said:

Slapshot1188 said:

Not sure if this is poor writing but WTF:

"It seems that more than 50% of the company’s employees are unhappy in their current compensation. An anonymous spreadsheet was created and circulated around Blizzard. Bloomberg reports that most raises are actually below 10%. "

1. No shit... I'm sure that at least 50% of employees in most companies wish they made more money.

2. Outside of promotions I have never received any annual raise that was close to 10%. Last 2 years my company gave blanket 3% and 2% raises.

I've asked CEOs about their pay - and at least the ones that I've talked to have openly said that the pay has gotten increasingly higher as that's how the market for CEOs is - but yes they said the salaries have gotten too high

When you have employees making $30,000 and the CEO is making 40million the CEO is making

40,000,000/30,000 = 1333

A single person is making 1333 times more per yer - you could hire over a thousand people for 30K and the CEO would still make 10mil dollars

That is an obvious problem

The article says that the skilled employees like Producers and Programmers were making $100k. The positions like game testers were making minimum wage. Now we can have a rational discussion about what minimum wage should be, but in general, a job as a game tester would not be a career but a starter job not meant to support a family.

I can't re-read the Bloomberg article as I am out of free articles but that's what I recall from reading it.

But as I said above... if they are complaining about most raises being below 10% then they have a disconnect from reality.

Its the imbalance is the take away not the 10% raise. Its not the minimum wage. All these things are a problem but we need to look past that stuff and really look at the bigger picture. For example, a few years ago there was a report on what it would cost globally to make sure every person on the planet to have access to clean drinking water. The cost: 2 billion. Could you get the people who hold most of the worlds wealth that's top 0.74% to give that? Would it even effect them? Nope it would not affect them and nope you can't get them to do that.

Really is minimum wage really a fair state of things? Is it fair that people who has pre-existing conditions cant afford medical insurance? Is it fair that drug companies mark up life saving drugs by 5000%? Is it fair thats Blizzard having second quarter revenue growth of 38% or $1.93 billion not look at giving everyone who helped them get thats say 5% of that as a bonus? Or even 1%?

If you libertarian Minimum wage is a horrible idea. There are lots of reasons why health care costs what it does. As for drugs depends. I think the generic laws need to be changed to promote competition but I also think a company that spends 2 Billion to make a drug deserves to make profit from it so they have incentive to make new drugs.

Bonuses and salaries are much different things. But again if you do not like it organize, leave, or accept your fate. I am completely against governments stepping in.

I read some comments on another site and I think they hit the nail on the head. H-1B visas are a problem. So is off-shoring. I think those are areas that the government should address. As long as companies can bring in cheap labor by exploiting the visa system, or just farm it out to another country, it's not really a fair situation.

WalkinGlenn · August 2020

Cry me a river. If you're not happy with your pay and think you're worth more money then take your self elsewhere and make it happen. Companies will pay you as little as they think they can get away with. That's business. I had my time working for big corps and its always the same. They aren't the only game in town.

Horusra · August 2020

Slapshot1188 said:

Horusra said:

Nanfoodle said:

Slapshot1188 said:

remsleep said:

Slapshot1188 said:

Not sure if this is poor writing but WTF:

"It seems that more than 50% of the company’s employees are unhappy in their current compensation. An anonymous spreadsheet was created and circulated around Blizzard. Bloomberg reports that most raises are actually below 10%. "

1. No shit... I'm sure that at least 50% of employees in most companies wish they made more money.

2. Outside of promotions I have never received any annual raise that was close to 10%. Last 2 years my company gave blanket 3% and 2% raises.

I've asked CEOs about their pay - and at least the ones that I've talked to have openly said that the pay has gotten increasingly higher as that's how the market for CEOs is - but yes they said the salaries have gotten too high

When you have employees making $30,000 and the CEO is making 40million the CEO is making

40,000,000/30,000 = 1333

A single person is making 1333 times more per yer - you could hire over a thousand people for 30K and the CEO would still make 10mil dollars

That is an obvious problem

The article says that the skilled employees like Producers and Programmers were making $100k. The positions like game testers were making minimum wage. Now we can have a rational discussion about what minimum wage should be, but in general, a job as a game tester would not be a career but a starter job not meant to support a family.

I can't re-read the Bloomberg article as I am out of free articles but that's what I recall from reading it.

But as I said above... if they are complaining about most raises being below 10% then they have a disconnect from reality.

Its the imbalance is the take away not the 10% raise. Its not the minimum wage. All these things are a problem but we need to look past that stuff and really look at the bigger picture. For example, a few years ago there was a report on what it would cost globally to make sure every person on the planet to have access to clean drinking water. The cost: 2 billion. Could you get the people who hold most of the worlds wealth that's top 0.74% to give that? Would it even effect them? Nope it would not affect them and nope you can't get them to do that.

Really is minimum wage really a fair state of things? Is it fair that people who has pre-existing conditions cant afford medical insurance? Is it fair that drug companies mark up life saving drugs by 5000%? Is it fair thats Blizzard having second quarter revenue growth of 38% or $1.93 billion not look at giving everyone who helped them get thats say 5% of that as a bonus? Or even 1%?

If you libertarian Minimum wage is a horrible idea. There are lots of reasons why health care costs what it does. As for drugs depends. I think the generic laws need to be changed to promote competition but I also think a company that spends 2 Billion to make a drug deserves to make profit from it so they have incentive to make new drugs.

Bonuses and salaries are much different things. But again if you do not like it organize, leave, or accept your fate. I am completely against governments stepping in.

I read some comments on another site and I think they hit the nail on the head. H-1B visas are a problem. So is off-shoring. I think those are areas that the government should address. As long as companies can bring in cheap labor by exploiting the visa system, or just farm it out to another country, it's not really a fair situation.

but we are now a global economy now. People willing to spend $2000 more their luxury items they think they are entitled too? It is not an easy problem. It is what I always ask the "Buy American" people. Are you willing to pay the extra $20 a shirt for America stuff...can everyone afford that?

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Some Blizzard Employees 'Struggling to Make Ends Meet' In New Report

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Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV

Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV

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Some Blizzard Employees 'Struggling to Make Ends Meet' In New Report

Comments

Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV

Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV