The Project is Stable and the Company is Profitable - Can We Fire the Developers?

A Question That Makes Me Want to Laugh and Cry

Recently, a friend told me their boss asked this question in a meeting: "The project is running well now, and we're making money. Do we still need so many developers? Can we lay some off?"

My first thought was: "Dude, you really don't understand software development!"

But then I realized this isn't an isolated case. Many non-technical managers have this misconception, thinking software is like building a house - once it's built, you just need a few maintenance workers.

Sorry, but software isn't building a house - it's more like raising a child.

Software Isn't Set-and-Forget

Many people think that once software is "done," it can run forever without issues. This is a huge misunderstanding.

Software systems face new security vulnerabilities every day. Hackers constantly find new attack methods, and if you don't patch promptly, your system becomes a sitting duck. The libraries and frameworks your project depends on are constantly updating. If you don't keep up, you'll face compatibility issues, performance problems, and security risks.

Business requirements change constantly. Today you need feature A, tomorrow you need feature B. The market doesn't wait for you. User feedback keeps coming in - bugs to fix, experiences to optimize, new features to add. Without developers, how do you respond to these needs?

Moreover, as user volume grows, system performance bottlenecks will emerge. Without developers to optimize, your system will become slower and slower until it crashes.

The Hidden Value of Development Teams

Development teams do much more than just "write code." They're the guardians of technical debt. Every software project accumulates technical debt over time. Without developers to continuously refactor and optimize, this debt will eventually crush your system.

They handle knowledge transfer. Senior developers have deep understanding of system architecture and business logic. If they leave, this knowledge goes with them, and new people will need months to get up to speed.

They provide rapid response capabilities. When critical bugs occur, you need people who can quickly locate and fix problems. Without a development team, a small bug could bring down your entire business.

They drive innovation. Developers often propose technical improvements and new feature ideas that can bring new growth opportunities to your business.

Real-World Lessons

Let me share a real example I witnessed. A startup had a successful product and steady revenue. The boss thought the technical work was "done" and laid off most of the development team, keeping only one person for "maintenance."

What happened? Within six months, the system was hacked due to unpatched security vulnerabilities, causing massive data leaks. Competitors launched similar products with better features while they couldn't respond quickly. User complaints piled up, but they couldn't fix bugs promptly. Eventually, this once-successful product was completely defeated by competitors.

The boss later spent ten times the original cost trying to rebuild the team and fix the problems, but it was too late - users and market share were already lost.

Another example: A traditional company successfully digitized and thought they no longer needed a large development team. They outsourced all development work to save costs.

The result? Response times for any changes became extremely slow, communication costs with outsourcing companies were high, and code quality was uncontrollable. Eventually, they had to rebuild an internal team, wasting a lot of time and money.

What Should You Do Instead?

If you really think the team is too large, consider optimizing team structure rather than simply cutting people. Adjust work focus - shift from new feature development to system optimization, security reinforcement, and technical debt repayment.

Invest in automation and tools to improve team efficiency and reduce repetitive work. Establish proper monitoring and alerting systems for proactive problem discovery and resolution.

Consider having the team explore new business opportunities and technical directions to prepare for future growth.

The Real Cost of Short-Sighted Decisions

Laying off developers when things are going well might save money short-term, but the long-term costs are enormous. System security risks, inability to respond to market changes, technical debt accumulation, knowledge loss, and team morale damage.

Worse yet, when you realize you need developers again, rebuilding a team is much more expensive than maintaining one. Good developers are hard to find, and training new people takes time.

A Different Perspective

Smart companies view development teams as long-term investments, not short-term costs. They understand that in the digital age, technology is core competitiveness, not just a support tool.

They know that maintaining a stable, experienced development team is much more cost-effective than constantly hiring and firing.

They realize that developers are not just "code writers" but business partners who understand both technology and business needs.

Final Thoughts

If your boss asks "can we fire the developers," you can tell them: "Sure, if you want competitors to surpass you within six months, if you want to face security incidents anytime, if you want to lose the ability to respond to market changes."

Software development is a marathon, not a sprint. Success requires long-term investment and continuous optimization.

Remember: in the digital age, companies without development capabilities are like armies without weapons - they might look fine now, but they'll be helpless when war comes.

Have you encountered similar short-sighted bosses? How did you convince them? Let's discuss in the comments!

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What do you think is the biggest misunderstanding non-technical managers have about development teams? Share your thoughts!