I was part of the June layoff batch. One generic Zoom meeting and my livelihood was gone — just like that.
Initial couple of days were pure shock. First, this was my first layoff. Second, in the last one year leading to this event, my productivity was at all time high. So this layoff was definitely not perf related. However, in BCom, you are just a number and can get axed at any time for no apparent reason. Moreover, I guess I didn't deign enough at the feet of my status-seeking POS manager — hence they happily used me as a cannon fodder.
However, ultimately the layoff turned out to be a net positive for me. I finally had time and clarity to prepare for interviews. I was fortunate enough to land multiple offers with a significant TC bump from companies with good reputation for WLB balance. I'm looking forward to start a new chapter of my career.
In reflection, the seven months I spent in BCom post acquisition was singularly the worst time in my 15+ year career. I have never seen a corporate culture turn 180-degree as I saw after November. Neither I have ever experienced so much toxicity and backstabbing from the management chain. IMO VMware always had an over-abundance of status-seeking micro-managers — constant pressure of layoff brought out the worst in them. And it all flows down from one cruel man at the top of the totem pole with a God complex. When he's gone, he will be rightly remembered as the vision-less psychopath who upended the livelihood of tens of thousands to make a few ultra-rich guys ultra-richer.
Reflecting back, I have the learned following lessons:
- Going forward, I'll never take my employment as granted. Moreover, however benevolent they may seem, my relationship with my employer will be purely transactional ("Fool me once ...").
- That being said, building personal connection with colleagues definitely helps. All of the offers I have landed were initiated through networking.
- Like many of my smart ex-colleagues, I should've jumped ship in 2022. A PE-like firm like BCom will always exhibit PE-like behavior irrespective of their PR statement.
Just thinking about my tenure at BCom still gives me PTSD. I hope it will gradually fade away as I settle down in my next job.