Former TikTok employee Simona (@simonacruzer) posted a now-viral TikTok of her last day at work. In the video, she jokes she’ll leave the job with “company assets” before taking viewers on a brief tour of the Times Square, New York City office complex.
@simonacruzer It’s the least I deserve ok!!!!! #techlayoff #techlayoffs2023 #imokay #haha #thisisajoke ♬ original sound – Simona
“Come with me to steal company assets from TikTok because I was laid off,” Simona starts in the clip. “I didn’t get let in at first but then my ID worked.”
The video then cuts to Simona walking through a hall that looks like it could fit into the set of Blade Runner 2049, before cutting to her dancing in front of two separate bathroom mirrors.
“The bathroom was blasting Irreplaceable. So true, honestly never get to thinking you’re irreplaceable in the corporate world,” she says before the camera cuts to her walking through another hallway that shines with dark red lights.
“Had to flex this view one last time because you know I love the Empire State,” Simona says then shows the New York City skyline before transitioning to a room filled with multi-colored lights. “And this fun auditorium area. Ugh, the lights here are so fun this green hallway obviously my favorite and then this is where they keep the company assets this is super private information so please don’t share with anyone.”
The “assets” she mentions are rows of different single-serving size snacks, candies, chips, and instant noodles, mac n’ cheese, chocolate bars, and other goodies.
“But yeah I worked here so I was taking what was rightfully mine,” the TikToker continues. “I did end up giving most of it away to a person on the subway but whatever.”
She records herself filling up her purse with snacks before ultimately transitioning to her closing a Macbook and placing her ID on top of it.
“Had to return those to IT oh, I’m keeping the TikTok lanyard you guys,” she exclaims. “I deserve it I worked here for two and a half years. It’s the least they could give me.”
She then walks out the exit turnstile revealing a massive hallway with floor-to-ceiling glass that shows Times Square in all of its bright lights and digital billboard advertising glory.
In a follow-up video, Simona delineates the nature of her layoff and says she actually received the news that her original contract with the company had been terminated and she spent the last 30 days searching for internal roles within TikTok that she could apply to, and hopefully secure a position.
@simonacruzer Replying to @lutanna_ ♬ original sound – Simona
She said having that 30-day grace period helped to give her a bit of “padding time” to find another job and that while it wasn’t required of her to turn in her ID badge and work laptop in person, she felt compelled to do so anyway as it helped to give her some closure. Plus it also gave her the chance to load up her purse with snacks.
Although TikTok is a China-based company, it appears to be experiencing many of the same tech layoffs that have been affecting U.S.-based technology companies such as Meta, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon as of late. Still, in another TikTok, Simona says she doesn’t think the company is doing mass layoffs yet as she believes they probably simply found her post redundant.
The Daily Dot has reached out to TikTok via email and Simona via TikTok comment for further information.
Viewers who saw Simona’s video applauded her for grabbing so many goodies on her last day, but many couldn’t understand how a company that clearly has so much money to operate a fancy office space is forced to lay off employees.
“They spend so much money on an office and then have to layoff people,” one commenter said.
Another remarked they saw plenty of open positions recently, which led them to think that massive amount of tech layoffs occurring in the United States wasn’t affecting TikTok.
“I didn’t know TikTok was having layoffs too, they had a ton of job openings for my position a week ago,” a user wrote.
Others thought that Simona’s termination had more to do with corporate greed rather than astute financial planning.
