Thread regarding VMware layoffs

Divisional GMs will survive...

C-suite, integrated or let go?

Again OP here:

RSUs: you get same vesting, as your VMW shares, just conversion will happen, Broadcom would just align to their vesting cycle, which is quarterly. Cash and stock offer has nothing to do with your RSUs vesting... In short, you won't get scr@wed as part of this conversion! And, if I may, this should not be your main concern right now :)

Salary: If you are non sales, your base stays the same, but likely your bonus will be better than vmw. For sales, expect changes, as you can imagine, based on comp plan, but I can't help you there...

Talent stuff: Its up to your mgmt to decide and shuffle, as needed.

Remote employee: exceptions yes, but don't count on long term employement. If you happen to be a genius architect, may be you can ride 2-3 years max.

Good Luck!

Some of us are full-time remote R&D employees with no VMware office for hundreds of miles. Will we be allowed to continue working remote?

What about the 4year rsu schedule.. they will predate it?

Thanks for all the info @Broadcomguy! This is very helpful and it's much appreciated.

Current analyst rumor mill is it will be 50/50 stock/cash - so if you have $100 in VMW RSU you will be given $50 in AVGO stock and $50 cash

Will vmw rsu be swapped for avgo or cash out? On same schedule? Any speculation?

Which division is safe.. tanzu cmbu vcenter any idea?

If you stay with Broadcom, is your salary/comp typically renegotiated or does it just transfer from previous employer?
Does Broadcom have interest in evaluating people for other roles or is it pretty much 1:1 and if you aren't needed at Broadcom for whatever you did at VMW - then bye bye?

I can confirm this. I've been with Broadcom for about 3 years now.

Hock is a genius, honest than most CEOs, he talks the talks, doesnt lie, tell you like it is...you have to accept who he is! And then decide if you want to part of this ship...

OP here: good questions and discussion:

One general clarity: Horizontal functions will got merge, not the verticals. So Corp Marketing - gone, but product Support, 60%+ will stay, and those who will stay make good money - as thats considered RD function!

As for some comments from current Broadcom Employees on financials - True, most of us who stayed with Broadcom are much richer, mostly due to stock appreciation and in general good comp planning from Broadcom, but I didn't want to throw this out in my initial post, as I thought it would be insensitive.

I have enjoyed working at Broadcom, you have to know what you are getting into and be OK with it, else its not worth it!

Hock is a genius, honest than most CEOs, he talks the talks, doesnt lie, tell you like it is...you have to accept who he is! And then decide if you want to part of this ship...

Broadcom is a money making machine, at this scale, by no accident. $32B in revenues with meager 20 odd thousand employees and Op Inc of 61%+... that's why stock is where it is today!

College hires, I would look elsewhere, Broadcom is not a happening place, you are better served in long run working for a growth oriented company.

Managers, Director: Again, it depends on your Mgmt, Broadcom is not a top heavy company, so they will ask for some reduction in Mgmt - your vp decides who stays, but in general expect 30% haircut in mgmt. Also, if you are mgr of 2-3 people, will be difficult to survive, as consolidation will happen within BU.

In general your immediate manager and Directors are key decision maker during transition....

No such thing as independent VMW - Exactly Zero % chance!

Sales: It depends on accounts you are calling, and Broadcom already have coverage on those accounts. Broadcom wants to keep sales overhead low and willing to let go of some revenue, if it doesn't have synergies with Core Broadcom - follow 80/20 rule. They will keep core accounts which makes up for 80%+ of revnue. Sales job in Broadcom is typically most stressful, unlike many other tech companies... you have to work your A$$ off.

There is limited remote WFH exceptions, but those are exceptions and mostly for sales.

Let me know any more questions...

Don't stress on things which are beyond your control - Good luck to all!

For those asking about remote:
If Octane decides to keep any VMWare offices and you are physically within 50 miles of one, you work from the office.
They will give you a mobile device, and they track it (initially for COVID-19 contact tracing, but I know about others that got let go from trying to WFH).

I was part of the Symantec sale. Was in support, then got moved to sales engineering as they had a ton of roles to backfill, and I was about to be RIFed after a year (more cuts to support). I left after a year there, as there is NO chance of upward movement in most orgs.

This assumes a lot. This assumes VMware does not keep its independence like it had with DELL EMC. No mention of product support at all here as well. They cannot expect to fire all of support and train their guys to support vmware products over night. Some support engineers for certain products take years to become good at effectively.

What do you think will happen to VMW marketing?

Wow, very interesting perspective and information! Sounds like Broadcom doesn't beat around the bush. It also sounds like they pay very well with the RSU's and Bonuses. I guess I'm not one to care about all the "fluff" of massages , group hugs, kiss days ,etc. Seems like it could offer potential to get a nice raise. I've been noticing VMW seems to be stiffing people on base salaries recently. They did have nice perks and options when I worked there from 2015-2017. I really liked the food perks, Bash Fridays and RSU's. So, I can't complain too much but I would never go back.

Take a look at the Broadcom website for cultural info. Here's what I see:

1. No CMO, CTO or DNI execs listed
2. No Black leaders in the Exec or Divisional leadership
3. One female divisional leader
4. No personal pronouns listed
5. Some job listings DO have remote options
6. No benefits info listed for careers (doesn't mean they don't have them, just not a selling point)

Gives impression of no-nonsense business approach.

What about engineering managers and directors ?

Thanks for your insight! When will be that “closing date”? If this is a 60B acquisition, I expect it would be at least one year. Or it has different definition?

I am a new college hire with a starting date in July. Should I look for another job?

I wouldnt expect VMware to close their HQ or Longmont Offices anytime soon. They have substantial capital investments on the properties and a long term lease agreement with Stanford University on the Palo Alto Campus. Given the size of the acquisition its not an easy one to converge from an integration perspective.

Any idea how they would handle unvested VMWare RSUs? Are they just voided? or does the vesting get accelerated and are paid out?

What about sales? This seems to suggest that nothing from VMware will remain - but surely they are acquiring us for what we have to sell, and they’ll still want / need us to do that?

I was in CA for more than 10 years and now 4 years with Broadcom. I can tell you this was the best thing that ever happen to me in my life from financial perspective. Base Salary, Bonus, RSUs and benefits are unbelievable!!!! Broadcom stock was $270 when we got our RSUs 4 years ago and now its ~$600. Bonuses are guarantied and were paid even during Covid years.
A lot of people VP and Directors level will be laid off, probably only 30% of people will stay and your life will be changed forever.

A BroadCon employee here...OP was more/less on target, but always some exceptions to everything listed.

Regarding field and customer success, you may/may not be around. general idea is to keep some, but not all. especially at accounts where we have good coverage. new college hires, i have a feeling they won't follow through. so i would IMMEDIATELY look elsewhere.

re existing real estate, TikTok don't like real estate, especially in high rent districts. he's a Class C office kinda guy. most will close, or some consolidation will happen. some could stay open but it depends upon location relative to existing cr---y offices we already have.

bottom line...you all should look unless you're 60 y/o plus.

D: @mka+1gTMqgMW At CA, all field employees were transitioned into HCL that took over that operation. Any managers in those organizations were eventually let go.

@yxw+1gTMqgMW If there is a BC office in legal travel distance, you are expected to go there. There are a few actual wfh contracts, but they are usually only kept for a few months.

@xxd+1gTMqgMW Anything that does not directly contribute to the revenue stream will be cut. All outreach programs, internships etc will be terminated.

What about field employees? (pso, tams, cs managers)

Thanks for your insights. What if broadcom does not have an office location where a remote employee stays but VMware does. Will it count if they go to VMware office there? Or it HAS to be Broadcom office only? Its possible VMware is just leasing an office there

How about new grad SWEs? We will start in July via Launch or propel program. Any idea?