F5 has lost its identity, growing through acquisition with blinkers on. "if we buy a software company, therefore we are a software company". Is F5 a HW or SFT company, thats what a lot of its customers are confused about and if F5 doesnt have a solid growth plan how are its customers going to follow?
Insider info tells of another RIFF next year and maybe the year after.
Keep your resumes up to date people....
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Layoffs will never be done. Since FLD became CEO, I've lost count of the number of people (good people!) that did not leave on there own (were RIFd in much smaller batches).
You asked what's next. Next, management requires all employees, including engineers, to return to the office. An unmissable 100km a day commute has to "clear your mind and allow you to disconnect", according to EMEA "leaders." The amount of cr-p we heard from HR today is hard to imagine. They will blame fa----g cows for emitting greenhouse gasses, but how about thousands of people starting their diesel or petrol cars and burning 7-10 litres a day to satisfy the maniac CEO's desire to "get F5 together again".
Apart from this, there is no better way to "motivate" employees than ask them to spend 3-4hr a day commuting to the office to "socialize", "have a chat by a coffee machine", or "perform team activities". Indeed, this decision seems like a final nail to the F5's coffin.
Let's see, they laid off most of the hardware staff and leadership, and the software people that knew how to take advantage of the hardware are gone too. So I'd say it's a software company riding the last wave that the hardware engineers created. Once that's run its course there might be some generic off-the-shelf hardware with an f5 logo on it but so what? McKinsey gutted this once great company.
F5's development org hasn't been a good place for people with backbone ever since the anointed one showed up from McKinsey.
Now its putting individuals on PIPs. Force individuals out that have a spine.
Ahemmm........F5 works hard and spent harder to lose the LB and Networks identity! In Wall Street World, SW makes money, a change is needed to please WS. In the practical world, HW makes money! BIG IP is cheaper than paying AWS, ask Intuit when they got the bills from amazon after April 18th, 2023, they ran back to BIG IPs so fast! The severance packages you are receiving, worth $35 millions, the office rents, the utility bills, fancy food catering are being paid by BIG IP sales and support services revenues. Do NOT count HW out!
Worse if your pay is tied to MBO. That was a 50% cut. But I am happy to have a job, than being on an Unemployment line.
It appears that many unhappy F5 employees have been handed additional workloads. I would imagine some of the other talented employees will get burned out sooner and expect another group of people departing the company due to work/life/balance. I used to think this company was great, boy was I wrong. Managers handed a playbook to ensure they provide empathy across their teams. I am most positive that more layoffs will take place in the coming year ahead. It's an opportunity to flush out higher-paid employees with those desperate to find a job at an F5 discounted rate.
I don’t know why people bring up the hardware or software company question… like you can only survive as one or the other. That’s bullsh-t. Microsoft. What’s their market cap? How much growth since they started selling more hardware? F5 can be successful at both, they just need to execute better. They don’t have to be just a software company or just a hardware company.
This is tech. Layoffs are 100% likely to happen. No company or employees are safe. Ditto to keeping the resume refreshed at all times. Word of caution is many job reqs have 100+ candidates applying for the role. Do your best to standout!
As for F5? This used to be a great company. Culture is changing, employees are unhappy and many are scared that another layoff is on the horizon.
Well, You are expected to do the work of 3 People at a 1 Person salary ! Enjoy !