Thread regarding VMware layoffs

Also... Flash Player... wow... just... wow

Flash has come up a few times. Who cares. The training videos are just a necessary expense and done at the lowest cost. Did it get the job done or not.

And the people who did not receive RSU’s had to do the training. Now there is the kick in the face! Al least we don’t have to be in the office. Can’t wait for the buyout and to be away from Broadcom!

"Hock said straight away that some roles like IT, HR etc. won't be required as there is no need to double on departments (yet people kept wondering if there'll be layoffs) and to the WFH question he simply said :"I am sitting here at a beautiful campus which is completely empty, our shareholders would not like us to pay for empty offices".

Or something along those lines - mainly paraphrasing here. So yes, it was 18 months ago he made that speech, but he was immediately upfront as to what his intentions were."

It was actually Tom Krause the one that said that, yes, and, after he left (or was invited to leave), we were all fed the theory that either things would go the VMware way or that they would sell the campus and that'd be the end of the discussion. A year feeding up that illusion to keep the BAU going on and not having a massive exodus before the acquisition was over.

There are people claiming that VMware employees should stop believing they're special... Here's the thing: for a year we were told and fed the illusion that what happened with CA and Symantec would not happen to VMware because we were more and therefore, it would be BC adapting to us: culture, ways, etc. I even heard from top mgmt "look at it this way, VMware is acquiring CA and Symantec at 0 dollars!"

Many few doubted that premise and only since mid July people started shifting and seeing strange hints that pointed out to "hey... we're screwed!". A few of us left before the worse, but others didn't have the option – also, because not all the employees are in the US, DE or UK, where you can find a job the next day. Some economies aren't that strong and finding a similar job can be a many years' quest.

As for the RTO policy? Well, that wasn't that clear, tbh. In my region, Broadcom pays €90 to each employee as a WFH allowance – partially to comply with the law, and partially because no one goes to the office. Before the deal closed, what we knew here is that only 4 R&D people went to the office here, the rest worked remotely – yes, it's mainly a commercial office, but still... That was the reality of BC in here 2 months ago. So this aggressive and dictatorial approach to introduce the new ways to the people can only mean that they want to increase attrition, and try to minimize the $$ dedicated to severances, imo. Also, the fact that they are lowering base salaries, it's a very poorly coveted attempt to, again, save money in layoffs in the future (May? June? Who knows...?)

I did it myself and I have zero regrets: if you can, leave. Try and negotiate what would've been the severance pay as the increase in your base salary for the new job and leave knowing that VMware is dead. Nothing that comes will ever be VMware and there are plenty companies out there with similar benefits/philosophy. It's hard because VMware was a GREAT place to work, the colleagues were amazing and the culture was something you could believe in and, as it has happened, you'll be leaving forcefully and not really because you want to but get over it as soon as possible, and focus in your career elsewhere.

Also... Flash Player... wow... just... wow

People were ba----g the drums for 18 months that you will have RTO upon acquisition. > > We all knew that Broadcom was 5 days a week. We all knew that Hock doesn't give > > > > exceptions.

Yet, some people felt like they could have it different? It doesn't matter what Google or > FAANG does. This has been beaten to death over the past 18 months. All that matters is > what Hock wants, and he wants RTO 5 days. He signs your checks and you will never > > > change his mind.

Very first meeting with Hock and Raghu - and whatever that dude's name is from broadcom that shortly after left - Hock was sitting at the campus and Raghu asked Hock two things.

1. Layoffs
2. Working from Home

Hock said straight away that some roles like IT, HR etc. won't be required as there is no need to double on departments (yet people kept wondering if there'll be layoffs) and to the WFH question he simply said :"I am sitting here at a beautiful campus which is completely empty, our shareholders would not like us to pay for empty offices".

Or something along those lines - mainly paraphrasing here. So yes, it was 18 months ago he made that speech, but he was immediately upfront as to what his intentions were.

So it blows my mind watching this forum for 18+ months with people contemplating and wondering what is going to happen.

But then again - ignorance is bliss, right.

I hadn’t heard „Flash Player“ in a loooooooong time! LOL

It’s just a way to get people to voluntarily leave so they don't have to pay severance. Tibco and Citrix (Cloud Software Group) did the same thing when they merged, and a ton of their people left. You can’t allow people to relocate their lives and family to work remote, then turn around and say “oh, Nevermind, relocate again so you can be back in the office ….and 5 days a week” which is unheard of in the industry. People will leave and so they will save money on severance packages when the layoff comes because they will have less people to pay off. Then, after the mass exodus and after the layoff, they will go back to flex work for all and full remote for some roles. We have a terrible economy right now with enormous interest rates, which means CEOs cut the little to save their money. Why? Because they can and we can gripe but will go get a job with another company that will also treat us the exact same way. If you don’t like it, vote better in the elections! It’s all related and absolutely affects our lives. Unfortunately we only get the option of voting for the lesser of two evils, but go with the one that saves jobs, not the one that lowers the value of the dollar and hikes interest rates through the roof.

No one would have expected full RTO 5 days a week.

People were ba----g the drums for 18 months that you will have RTO upon acquisition. We all knew that Broadcom was 5 days a week. We all knew that Hock doesn't give exceptions.

Yet, some people felt like they could have it different? It doesn't matter what Google or FAANG does. This has been beaten to death over the past 18 months. All that matters is what Hock wants, and he wants RTO 5 days. He signs your checks and you will never change his mind.

No one would have expected full RTO 5 days a week. ----

People who know Broadcom have been saying since day one that this is the way Broadcom works. Why do the VMWare people think they are so special that the rules are not going to apply for them? You're another former failing company under Broadcom's belt.

The funny thing is that it is a 4 minute video!

You had 18 months to find a new job that was remote.

No one would have expected full RTO 5 days a week. Meta, X, Google, etc are all hybrid. That is what is industry standard, and that is what most of us foolishly thought Broadcom would offer. Instead it's a hammer blow, no warning.

Broadcom isn't lean, it's just needlessly antagonistic to its employees.

Customers are key. ATM customers seem underwhelmed and will be even less impressed if VMware lose all key talent - that’s the direction of travel…

You had 18 months to find a new job that was remote. You were either too d-mb to do research to see RTO was standard at Broadcom, or too socially inept to hear it through the grapevine.

I doubt someone so inept is fit for working at any company let alone a lean machine like Broadcom.

Flash?! A huge security vulnerability cutting edge mid-2000s technology that Steve Jobs booted off of Apple devices because it was so bad. It's creator Adobe doesn't even support it anymore haha! I am speechless.

"In July 2017, Adobe announced its intention to discontinue Flash (including security updates) altogether by the year 2020. As of December 31, 2020, Flash support has ended. Adobe blocked Flash content from running in Flash Player beginning January 12, 2021."

flash.
player.

It requires Flash player too… lost for words.

Leadership in this company are all yes man. Expect a lot of nonsense actions because HT calls the shot and his executive leadership says, "Sir, Yes Sir". If they attempt to challenge any if his directives, well let's just say they better be walking on water, else...