Thread regarding VMware layoffs

From friends who went through this at Citrix (under Tom Krause) and Symantec when they were acquired, for the most part managers through most senior directors had zero
input and were kept in the dark until the first round on D-Day.

In my group, the VP and SVP met with Hock under NDA about the structure going forward for our team. He gave a direction and that’s all I am able to know. I’m a Director and my senior director and his peers are out of the loop as well. They will find out just like the rest of us. As for the VP and SVP levels, it seems they will build the new org based on Hock direction, but do not know if they have say in actual personnel. Corp M&A isn’t for the thin skinned.

Nope. I am director level and my VP just shrugs and changes the topic when I try to talk about it. Seems like that VP already given up and gives certainly the impression that even (s)he got no clue.

There’s a process.

Yep, transition offers as the group/division is shopped around for a buyer. Given how long they have been waiting for the transaction to close, they have already quietly inquired to potential buyers so they can hit the ground running

Also remember that for products being phased out or divested there will need to be end-of-life or sell-of / divestiture plans made and communicated to customers. The entire cleanup of VMware will take a few years before the dust settles. Broadcom won’t just immediately abandon customers or product lines. There’s a process.

I believe there will be many people let go without any direct input from their manager. Not all, but likely a majority. This isn’t their first rodeo and you don’t ever carefully make a list of 10k people to fire, not even if you were given 1 year. Welcome to the power of the excel algorithm.

Manager here of a business unit rumoured to be sold off, absolutely no heads up, we guess (hope) kept whole then gone in 2-6 months

your age, your certification , your billable Utilisation,

Age? Please fire me because of my age. I would love the jackpot lawsuit that follows.

Those sr/managers and sr/directors that have said they haven’t been consulted yet - are you in operations? Or what is your general business function?

I would say for teams that will be 100% kept or 100% let go, mostly they will not be consulted. Teams will be consulted mostly due to uncertainty.

"If you are Sr. Director or Director and if you were not consulted, better you update your resume and look for new job or retire!"

I manage an AMER org with the largest customers in the country, working in our core technology. My entire AMER org will not be let go day 1. You definitely have no idea what you're talking about.

If you are Sr. Director or Director and if you were not consulted, better you update your resume and look for new job or retire!

From the 2nd all-hands meeting, about the decisions, Ragu said, "This would be done in conjunction with the leaders of the go forward--business units and functional groups. It is not done without their involvement."

They don’t need to ask to be honest.. they have numbers and historical data e.g how long you are in a role with out any promotion, your increment % compared to your team, were you offered any RSU, your age, your certification , your billable Utilisation, your role and title, awards and recognition etc etc they have lot to identify top 20% performers and bottom 20% . Remaining 60% will get transition package.

As someone on the presales technical side supporting a very large customer I am still very anxious about all of this. Sounds like I have a better shot of being safe but still.

I also know because I am a senior manager and worked for my boss for a very long time, that there is no consultation process regarding staff on the day 1 layoffs.

If you are in any kind of technical role which is supporting the top customers in a technology that BC intends to keep around, there would be a higher than not chance you get jobs/transition roles with 90% of marketing, ops, it, hr, finance and non performing science project tech gone without consultation day 1.

It makes a lot more sense that those decisions regarding staff covering strategic accounts and or technology that is relevant/important to BC would be done in the second wave where they lay off the additional 15-20%, with management discrection

You need to remember there are various layers of leadership/management in this company so bad mouthing everyone with the same view is largely unfair given there are loads of great leaders in this company and some not so good. Sadly, I have had no input into the decision making of my team I am at Snr Director level and all the decisions have been made without my input. You can either believe that or not, thats your choice. I am not here to play games, you asked the question and I will give you the answer.

Managers and directors have had no input.

"News will start to leak in the coming 2 weeks. We won’t have to wait till mid OCT"

Hope so, but doubt it!

The coming month will be cruel and unusual. Just put those affected out of this misery!!!!!

I have been ramping up lower skilled/lower cost people for months!!!! Active hiring is taking place in low cost centres today.

"Leadership" have planned your exit.

The notion that they do not know, when, who, where.... is complete (BS)....

They have been feeding the BC machine for months.....

For day 1 cuts, there has been ZERO communication or ability to give feedback on staff from Senior Director level down in my organization.
Our VP and SVP has had meeting with Hock to explain our Org and as I understand it neither of them got offers with BC and are expected to be let go.
After the acquisition closes I’m sure management will be a part of the wave two layoffs and deciding who stays and who leaves with the % to keep being laid out by BC.

First round is anyones guess. There is no VMware influence on this

News will start to leak in the coming 2 weeks. We won’t have to wait till mid OCT.