Thread regarding Riverbed Technology Inc. layoffs

I can ask my current folks to show support and join.

I'll be there, I'll bring jelly donuts

I’ll bring some coffee for everyone!!!

I'm down

Dante, I always knew I could count on you. Bringing a damn tear to my eyes this morning.

For the rest of you, I’d like all of you to know that I slept on it last night and woke up today to tell you THAT I’VE NEVER HAD MORE CLARITY OR PURPOSE IN YEARS. In speaking with some around the office yesterday, they too, share similar sentiments and truly believe it’s time to flex our muscles a bit.

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 7th HIGHNOON

DONT @ ME

#BRINGJERRYHOME

I’ll come

@JK, you have WAAAAAY too much time on your hands. And how do you know the old BU VP wanted to talk to you vs. that person just being "nice" and simply reciprocating?

Change #1 should be getting rid of those who apparently has this much time to complain on this forum.

Please share your other ideas JK

Brainless?? Come on, it might be a little bit off the cuff but you know deep down change is needed. Just so happens I'm one of the best change agents around, some would say the greatest change agent this world has ever seen.

See you on Wednesday @ HIGHNOON

This thread is the definition of brainless. However, I'm in to see this sH!tshow on Wednesday.

O, I've got a few other ideas as well but I'm also not delusional and know that my opinion won't change a thing. Also, pick up a dictionary and please explain to me how my comments come off as segregation as opposed to unity?

These are overall themes that aren't too much to ask for. Perhaps you prefer a career trajectory while wearing a blindfold and I also assume you are not in a client facing role. Clients are asking these questions on a regular basis as they want to know the investment they are making is not in a company that may be in shambles in the near future.

Again, you don't need to be on this board if you're feeling so high and mighty yet clearly you stumbled on here anyways. Insecure much?

I throw rock and dumb things and this is dumb. More meetings and roadmaps are supposed to fix all of our problems - are you serious? Your "solidarity" is more like segregation, we're all in it together and we all get what the problems are so stop crying!

There are many rocks in CA that you can crawl under, I suggest you find a really big rock and move in, rents cheaper

Also, just to clarify: No where did I explicitly say a walk out, that was assumed by another person on this thread. I, for one, will be in the front of that building as a sign of solidarity but I assure you I will be back in my office working towards whatever objective upper management decides is the focus for that week.

You don't have to join, nor do you need to comment on this. But clearly you throw rocks towards my glass house accusing me of having no answers and wasting your time when you probably should be focused on your job and not on these rumor mill sites. The fact you are even on here and aware of it just goes to you have a level of insecurity about where things have been trending as well.

#BRINGJERRYHOME

Proposed changes: Actual all hands meeting once a month or every other month to keep employees in the loop so we aren't feasting off a rumor mill and coming into work feeling insecure about our job status. More transparency around the future plans and trajectory of this company- when I joined this company I felt secure in approaching my BU VP for a quick chat around the company, industry, what we're hearing in the field, etc. What do we get now? Maybe a half baked update from our direct manager? Meanwhile you find out half an org or management team in a supposed "area of focus" was let go without any backstory whatsoever?

Perhaps all of you are new here and this is just the norm but there are standard operating procedures that used to define this company that aren't just tied to revenue hits or misses. Treating people right was always a priority and somewhere along the way that slipped through the cracks.

Gawd, this is 20 minutes I'm not getting back. I don't care about whether or not this walk out happens. all I know is that the reasons are r----ded. What I can't believe is that we have this level of r----dedness at Riverbed and maybe JK should just crawl under a rock and tell himself he means something.

Stop spreading negative sh*t around when you have zero answers to anything - that makes you an overpaid whiner

I bet no one shows up and the only person in the lobby is this poster. Good luck with your walk out and take a picture and share it on rvbd-all

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FrpuPLYnvY

Can you please explain what exact changes you want to happen? Not the vague stuff like 'better place' and 'transparency', but exactly what do you want to happen, how do you think the company can become this better place you are talking about.

You're still being myopic

I'll gladly walk if PaulM walk too :)

After reading these threads, I still don't get the walk out. Cuts happen all the time (perks, people), transparency fades (even in good companies), moving a show (what's SKO?) doesn't mean much. I guess I was hoping to find a true work injustice like discrimination or information like unlawful lawsuits piling up but I don't see any of those kinds of things mentioned here. As far as walking out goes, it's your right to do so but I just caution the reasons - everyone is just about on the same page with the poster here and many has shared this opinion for a while but, at the end of the day, is it really unjust?

And your solution is to just sit there and do nothing? Wow, really grabbing your career by the horns there!

Again, you don't have to join. But if you were to take our your headphones and actually talk to your colleagues outside of your immediate team, you would realize that there are many great people putting in great work here that is dismayed at the lack of transparency and disregard for employee communication.

And you must be insane if you think I'm going to use my real name. If I do that then next WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 7TH AT HIGHNOON will be all about me, and this is not the main point. IT'S TO SHOW THAT WE ARE UNIFIED AND WE WILL STEER THIS SHIP THROUGH THIS STORM.

#BRINGJERRYHOME

Man, after reading this thread, I vote to have this post deleted!

I'd join if I was in the SF office but I'll be there in spirit! While I think the original poster has some other items to address in their life getting this riled up, they make a few honest points. Perhaps those of you not in sales do not feel this but rumors of another massive round of layoffs plus sales kick off being pushed? That, to us, makes us feel like we won't be here in June and the movement of the event was to ensure they don't spend extra money on a workforce that won't be here in a few months.

The sad part is sales is always the first to be hit, but never the last.

Nothing you described means an unhealthy place but may be unhealthy business due to external changes. You speak as if you're wise but you are clearly not as you made it clear to everyone you do not have a strong grasp of what's going on. As far as transparency goes, if you want more information then be ready with solutions because, if you cannot, well, you're useless.

It's clear that you are not someone people should follow. If you really want to show your strength and resolve, post your real name rather than hiding among the others.

A better place, to me, is one where I don't fear that today will be the day my name appears on a spreadsheet and given a cardboard box. A better place, to me, is a coherent vision of this company and not one that changes every few months. WE COULD HAVE BEEN CONTENDERS IN THE SD WAN CHAMPIONSHIPS and this executive team and TB have pushed all the wrong buttons to flush it down the drain.

A better place can mean many things to different people but that is the EXACT reason we need to show unity and express that things need to change. When was the last time we had an honest town hall where employees could ask questions to management and expect to receive a straight answer? All I've received is corporate lingo, shaded with rose colored glasses to shield what's really going on.

THIS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7TH, HIGHNOON- LET'S LET THEM KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT LETTING THIS SHIP SINK

I would say cancelled corporate events, pullback of perks, systematic removal of key management and mass lay offs constitutes an unhealthy workplace. Perhaps your bubble has been untouched but my organization has constantly had a cloud of layoffs hang over us for the better part of the last 5 years.

Feel free to call out my business acumen all you want. Its great to see you can drop a word like myopics, then follow it up with just random titles and business principles and call that a coherent thought.

You dont have to join, but don't also throw a fit when you look out the window next weed on Wednesday February 7th at HIGHNOON and see a good portion of your colleagues making a unified push that there needs to be more visibility AND CLARITY as to the direction of this company.

HOW MYOPIC IS THAT FOR YOU?

What does "better place" mean?

I don't know what's going on exactly but I suggest that no one walks out with this person. This person has a very myopic view and does not have a grasp on how a business is ran or how the markets really work.

Al I can say is that "walk out" if you truly understand the business and market climates Riverbed plays in then cross-reference that with basic economics relate that to revenue. Then apply what you know to this equation (albeit support, PS, PM, etc.) then make the determination if you should really walk out. If you do not, then see that you're simply complaining about something you really know nothing about.

Don't be foolish, walk outs are for the truly oppressed like minimum wage workers or equal rights causes and NOT because of a company that isn't doing so well and you do not have a clear understanding of what the real underlying issues are.

Is it that strange? Didn't realize striving for a better place was all that strange. I guess if that's more strange than sitting around waiting to get canned then I guess you're right.

I also guess I won't see you Wednesday at HIGHNOON?

I'm not saying Jerry is the answer, obviously turning back the clock has its challenges, BUT I SURE AS HELL AM READY FOR THAT CHALLENGE INSTEAD OF WAITING TO GET CANNED. EVEN IF YOU DON'T AGREE WITH THE MAN IN CHARGE, SHOW UP IN UNITY WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 7TH AT HIGHNOON.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING SPECIALITIES IS GONNA HAVE TO CLOSE CAUSE NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO GET IN.

O YEAH, WEAR YOUR RIVERBED ORANGE.

#BRINGJERRYHOME

This post is strange, if the original poster wants to live in the past then I'd say buy a time machine and live in past. It makes no sense to compare the past to the present, it's too easy to live and complain in hindsight rather than move forward and remain positive. If you haven't mastered the realities of "life" then I highly suggest to you to really look around in the world because, what you're complaining about are truly first world issues and he happy with that was given to you.

I'll see you there at HIGHNOON!!!

#BRINGJERRYHOME

While I think this post is a clear joke, I'm joining the cause. Not expecting this to materialize but I'll be there for at least a few minutes on my way out to lunch on Wednesday.

I'm confused, is it #BRINGJERRYHOME OR #BRINGJERRYBACK because I see both listed?

Well, with that attitude you're right, nothing is going to change. THATS WHY I'M HERE ON THIS PLATFORM MAKING A STAND. ITS TIME TO TURN THIS PROGRUM AROUND AND BRING US BACK TO OUR GLORY DAYS.

And to the other poster, Jerry Not the man? He was our fearless captain navigating our Riverbed ship through some of the most treacherous storms the silicon valley has ever seen, some even say he's the greatest captain ever.

While I'm not expecting immediate changes, A MUTUAL WALK OUT AND SHOW OF EMPLOYEE UNITY IN FRONT OF THE OFFICE WILL SEND A MESSAGE THAT WE'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS SLIPPERY SLOPE.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7TH HIGH NOON

#BRINGJERRYHOME

What exactly do you expect the company to change? Yes, It's not doing well and we all know TB are looking to make a profit and going to be aggressive and don't really care about the employees, how can that change? It's not the same company anymore and I don't think it can be while we are owned by a hedge fund with the purpose of making money at all cost and not necessarily building a good company with happy employees, the bottom line is more important, for them.

You've missed the overall tone of my note. While the main message is #BRINGJERRYBACK, the overall message is that we need to show THAT WE'VE HAD ENOUGH.

I don't know about you but I am sick and tired of coming into this once beautiful office everyday wondering if this is the day I pickup my kids from school with a cardboard box in my left arm with all of my personal belongings.

You might get off on this kind of thrill but IT MAKES ME SICK TO MY STOMACH. I said in my original note that I am nothing but a kind, simple man who, at times, gets a tad bit emotional. I miss the days where the biggest question looming over me was, "Is there still a Mt. Dew in the breakroom" and "Is that random intern going to destroy me again on the ping pong tables"; instead, they've been replaced by am I getting canned today.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7TH, HIGHNOON

#BRINGJERRYHOME

I don't think Jerry is the answer, I don't think he ever was. The stories Jerry told were "great to listen to" but the reality is, they really weren't his own. Steve M., was the inventor and engineer that truly started it all - and to quote Thomas Edison "genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration" - and so where does this leave Jerry? Simply put, he is/was just the guy with connections to money and, while that is extremely important, by no means was Jerry truly involved in the Riverbed hey day. Jerry is the one that told Riverbed that they can save $5 on coffee a day while he drove off in his Lambo. Jerry is the one that (initially) refused to pay for professional headshots for Riverbed but spends $30K on a 2-3 day excursion with his direct staff. Is Jerry really the leader you thought he was? Or was he simply a figurehead that stumbled upon a great idea that was not his own?

Riverbed has produced many leaders as a direct result of the few genius' that worked at Riverbed. If we want to respawn the era of the past, then it's geniuses that we need regardless who holds the helm because the challenges they face are not simple and no amount of experience will make dealing with these challenges easier. The other need is to remove the old and dated middle management who believes leadership is equal to process, spreadsheets, kpi's, dated personalities and simply act as middle-person proxies of information. Simply put, Riverbed needs agile and dynamic geniuses to run the company again and simply place some stooge at the helm that tells Riverbed that they can save $5/day on coffee while driving off in their $200k+ automobile.

the site cut off my quote-

I am ready to meet my maker, but whether my maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.

Winston Churchill (1874-1965) British prime minister