Thread regarding Open Text Corp. layoffs

This confirms that the survey was not anonymous. This is breach of trust. Of course we do not have an ombudsman to whom we could bring this up.

Did the survey ask if the responder was virtual or office based? Asking as the survey was confidential and anonymous as I recall.

The HR briefing states that the mandatory office enforcement came about through the PULSE survey whereby office based employees expressed more engagement than virtual office employees. Yet, they also said office employees have NOT been going into the office. Huge delta there.

I wouldn't refer to any employees as rats. The only rats here are Mark and his goons.

Employees will stay for now because the economy is bad but once it starts to recover, the rats will jump ship like never before.

We can deliver high quality value adding work without supervision

We aren’t children, treat us like children and we will act like children.

This is a sure way to encourage quiet quitting

Interesting that OT had its best years during COVID and year after when everyone worked from home. But mandatory in office will drive growth and profit?

What about employees who were given virtual status due to religion (no vaccines), compromised health, or other reasons during COVID? Now you will sack a non-swiper who didn’t go virtual because they didn't have a reason, or care to file a reason during COVID to go virtual. Meanwhile the virtual ee has worked from home for 5 years. There’s a lawsuit waiting at the end of that rainbow.

Can Mark be included in this badge swipe tracking? I want to know his statistics, maybe he's not going in enough that's why the company is tanking.

Mark we need you there 3 times minimum bud, maybe 5 if you're feeling very patriotic. You can sit right next to me in my cubicle, come on down we are all family here Mark.

OT is widely perceived as where software, and indeed employees, go to die. Mark B is probably just wanting a bit of gumption out of the lazy masses of OT employees who just use mouse movers to keep Teams status Green while they do their household chores etc.

I think it's just that they view 3 days per week as reasonable, and it is pretty much standard across tech industry now. No need to go overboard about the rationale. He just wants employees out of their pajamas and doing some work for 3 days p/week.

Let's ensure this conversation is grounded in facts. The majority of employees who were designated as "officeless" were reclassified as "virtual," and today's communication does not apply to them. The message was specifically directed at individuals who are officially designated as in-office but consistently fail to attend. According to several VPs and managers I've spoken with, many teams report an average in-office attendance of one day or less per week—far below the expected standard of three days.

To be clear, if you were reclassified as virtual and that status is correctly reflected in TalentCentral, today's message does not apply to you. However, for those who are assigned to an office and have chosen not to comply with that expectation, accountability is now being enforced.

While there are concerns about micromanagement, OpenText conducts significantly less employee monitoring than most organizations I've worked with. Oversight here is comparatively minimal.

Regarding leadership presence in Canada, I share the view that the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) should be primarily based here. Our former CFO, Madhu, has been succeeded by a new CFO located in Richmond Hill. Shannon (Chief Digital Officer) and Michael (Chief Legal Officer) are also based in Richmond Hill. However, Savinay Berry, who leads Engineering, is based in California—a questionable choice given concerns about his performance. Muhi and Mark are likewise in California, and Todd C. (Head of Sales) and Paul D. are also U.S.-based.

If OpenText is to continue identifying as a Canadian company, then a Canada-based CEO and ELT would reflect that identity more authentically. Beyond geography, leaders rooted in Canada are more likely to prioritize the long-term success of a Canadian enterprise. For some U.S.-based executives, this may be viewed as just another role—one they can exit if challenges arise.

Let's find out if ELT members are swiping their cards. This should be transparent to all, but OTs MO was always different strokes for different folks.
Executives should either move to Canada or resign. That would be the honourable thing to do.
Most likely OT doesn't have enough cash to pay severance to Mark B.
Good luck to us in engineering! We have amazing teams and with better leadership the sky would be the limit.
Too bad we cannot give our vote of non confidence and take matters into our own hands.

With tech companies like IBM and HP announcing massive layoffs, you can bet Mark is planning the same.

HR has already rolled out mandatory calls this week for managers with office employees with an agenda to include how they will monitor and manage the requirements. Agree with the person who said there is an expectation a significant number of non sales employees will be eventually resigning (no severance).

For the person asking about MF remote employees. I was part of Carbonite when we were acquired. Yes if your office is closed and you are designated as remote begin polishing your resume. It's made clear you are not eligible for promotion as new roles will be in office only and you will eventually be RIF'ed.

Sorry to be a downer but it's best to start taking control of your future now and leave on your terms to hopefully a better company.

Why did the company fall apart after laying off their IT security guy, eh?

Because they found out the hard way that he was the only one holding up their firewall and not just doing it for kicks with maple syrup! 🍁💻

Reading through that long email in which Mark makes it clear that office is a mandate for any employee not officially designated in their profile as "virtual" and this policy which has been in place for 2+ years will now be enforced, is basically another "reason" Mark can give to the Board as to how he is acting to improve on the anemic company results.

He can use this as an example/action item on how he is going to turn the company around. "Employees need to be better directed for better results and I addressed that by implementing enforcement around the RTW mandate".

It is part of the way in which he kicks the can down the road around the company's failure to perform to his own boss - the Board. Give me another year and I'll turn things around, these are the things I am doing: More control over employee output, firing ELT and c suite leaders, re training sales leaders on how to lead, and so on.

Maybe he is trying to get rid of the rest of the MF employees? Since there will be no offices for them?

Major MF offices were Fort Collins, Houston, Provo, San Jose.

Seattle, Newbury (these two were mainly MF modernization that got sold)

I was hired as a remote employee during the pandemic. I guess I would have been canned if I hadn't left on my own.

I suspect he is hoping that some employees will resign voluntarily, thereby avoiding the need to offer severance packages.

Additionally, if further workforce reductions become necessary, it’s likely that remote employees may be among the first considered.

I believe the intent of the email was to prepare us for the possibility of additional staff reductions.

He is adding a layer of surveillance to a policy unwelcomed and unpopular by employees. Remember that Micromanagement is the norm, and is prevalent in Opentext, and every manager micromanages his staff, and every manager is micromanaged by his senior manager, and at the top of the pyramid is the mighty Mark who knows all and micromanages all, and his decisions are sacred and final.
Reports about attendance will presented to employees, and will be discussed with them in performance evaluation meetings, and based on them an employee could be denied promotion or bonus, or even fired without severance package.
In conclusion, Mark is asserting his authority, and his iron clad management style in a company know for its fear based cultured.

VISION, TECHNOLOGY, CUSTOMERS, INNOVATION, CULTURE! Those words aren't magic, Mark - just saying them doesn't make things happen.

As a Canadian company, shouldn't the ELT be at headquarters (Waterloo, Canada) 3 days a week? They should set the standard for the rest of us.

The entire ELT is ineffective at best, yet as usual the workers bear the blame (and the impact). And yes, it is clear that there are significant layoffs coming.