Thread regarding Open Text Corp. layoffs

The "Innovation Era" of 2025 is over; the "Efficiency Era" of 2026 has begun

@a8 Yes. Welcome to capitalism. There is no fairness, there is only "fu-k you"

New office in the Middle East https://www.instagram.com/p/DT7z8CNjHwV/?igsh=Y3Z3YTFza2lsNG85

@as you are right https://www.costar.com/article/831394008/colorado-bred-company-looks-to-offload-bulk-of-corporate-headquarters

@av many VPs were in off site meetings last week so I suspect there will be action this week before the earnings call, But have not heard anything definite.

@a9 happening now in the US and Canada.

@an thank you for your AI Slop. Boston office was closed back in 2020 when lots of other offices were by Mark.B during the pandemic.

Only the Broomfield CO office remains open however is up for sale.

For the SMB Cybersecurity unit (formerly Webroot and Carbonite), the situation is distinct from the Enterprise side. While the company publicly touts "Cybersecurity" as a pillar of OpenText 3.0, the SMB (Small-to-Medium Business) portion of that portfolio faces unique risks in 2026.
Based on the January 2026 divestiture of eDOCS and the "Business Optimization" strategy, here is the outlook for the SMB Cybersecurity division:

1. The "Divestiture" Risk
   The most significant threat to the SMB unit isn't just layoffs, but a potential sale of the entire business unit.
   • Precedent (January 2026): On January 12, OpenText sold its eDOCS business to NetDocuments for $163 million to pay down debt.
   • The Debt Pressure: OpenText is carrying significant debt from the Micro Focus acquisition. The Carbonite/Webroot acquisition cost ~$1.42 billion. If the company needs to "optimize" further to reduce leverage, the SMB unit is a prime candidate for a sale because it operates on a different sales model (high volume, low touch) than the core Enterprise business.
   • "Non-Core" Definition: The eDOCS sale was justified as shedding "non-core assets". If the new leadership decides that "Core" = "Enterprise AI & Information Management," then "SMB Endpoint Protection" could easily be reclassified as non-core.
2. Automation & "Bundling"
   If the unit is not sold, the "Optimization Plan" for SMB Cybersecurity is focused on aggressive automation.
   • The "All-in-One" Strategy: The strategy for 2026 is moving toward "bundled" solutions (prevention + detection + response) rather than selling standalone products.
   • Impact on Sales/Support: This shift reduces the need for specialized sales roles for individual products (e.g., just selling Webroot AV). The company is pushing for "autonomous" cybersecurity and AI-driven support to replace human touchpoints for smaller customers.
   • Targeted Roles: If you are in SMB Sales or Tier 1 Support, you are highly vulnerable.
3. Hub Vulnerability
   The SMB unit (legacy Webroot/Carbonite) traditionally had strong presences in specific locations like Broomfield, Colorado (Webroot HQ) and Boston, Massachusetts (Carbonite HQ).
   • The Hub Trap: Under the new RTO mandate (4 days/week by March 2, 2026), these legacy offices are at risk. If Broomfield or Boston are not designated as "Strategic Hubs" for the future (which seems focused on Waterloo, India, and other key engineering centers), employees there may face a "relocate or resign" ultimatum.
   • Check Your Lease: If OpenText has not renewed the long-term lease for your specific legacy Carbonite/Webroot office, that is a major red flag that the office—and its attached workforce—is being phased out.

• Some people will quit rather than commute full time.
• No severance
• No WARN obligations if attrition is voluntary
• Headcount drops before a sale

NON-CORE
Cleaning the org before divestment
Buyers want:

• Clear reporting lines
• Predictable workforce

• Fewer edge cases (fully remote, special contracts, exceptions)

• There is no hidden productivity logic

• There is no long-term cultural vision behind this
• There is no attempt to retain all talent

It’s structural, legal, and financial.

Non-core units can only realistically be sold before these layoffs and RTO changes.

However, it does not make sense to require RTO for non-core business units that are planned for divestment.

SMBC Cyber is widely understood to be up for sale, so forcing employees back into the office seems unnecessary, especially when a buyer would still need a Transition Services Agreement (TSA) with OpenText.

You might be safe only if:
• You hold "Tribal Knowledge": You are the only person who understands a specific legacy database script that would break the entire project if you left.
• You are willing to Relocate: If you are remote but offer to move to a Hub (e.g., Waterloo or Gaithersburg), they might keep you.
• You are "Cheap": If your salary is significantly below market rate, you might fly under the radar.

Being remote is dangerous because you are:

1. Expensive (compared to offshore).
2. Invisible (no office presence).
3. Replaceable (the project you are building is designed to automate work, potentially including your own).

To know if you are safe, ask yourself: "Does my team generate the automation, or is my team replaced by it?"
• If you manage the Robot (AI/Strategy): You are Safe.
• If you manage the Humans (Reps/Analysts): You are Unsafe.

@a8. Is this happening right now? Or is it coming down the line, what geo ?

@a4 I have remote employees, hired as remote, were remote prior to the pandemic and they are being required to sign contracts to work in office or being let go as a resignation.

Please remember, what matters to those in control is that they can have the best carpet in their new Lear Jet.

Once you realise this, it all makes sense. But not before.

Wait. Eliminate remotes ? The policy states that remotes are fine and will be made to feel included

They made no indication at all to laying off remotes

If you work on Aviator/Titanium X + Live near a Hub: You are safe, but you will be in the office 5 days a week by September.

• If you work on Legacy Products (e.g., Mainframe, old ECM): You are at risk of being replaced by automation or a lower-cost team in India.

• If you are Remote: Start interviewing. The "Optimization Plan" is designed to eliminate your role effectively.