It is absolutely possible to calculate engineering productivity at the product level. The arithmetic is very simple. It’s far more difficult at the individual level, though.
Re:Tech layoffs keep stacking up
by marktangotango on Friday July 01, 2022 @11:34AM
(#31947881)
Thank you. This is precisely my point.
What is the arithmetic?
Revenue per employee is one, total investment per dollar of ARR is another, and so on.
It amazes me to see high salaries at companies which are engineering heavy and the revenue per employe is significantly below the median TC for the median engineer.
Seems to me this implies that companies that do this, have found a way effectively measure performance and productivity. I don't think OP intends to say this, it is pretty much impossible to measure productivity of individual developers. I mean those on the team know who is or isn't contributing from day to day, but among teams and over time it is much more difficult. If someone has figured this out they should be a $billionaire by now.
I'd go further and counter that this is completely bogus claim, and yes, no one hiring should view a candidate being laid off as being related to anything performance or desirability of the candidate.
In my experience, layoffs are merely a popularity contest.