Broadcom's acquisition of VMware leads to massive layoffs, CEO tells remote workers "get...

[midian182]

A hot potato: Imagine that a massive company has just bought your employer for billions and the first thing it does is lay off 2,800 people before telling everyone else to get their "butt" back into the office. That's exactly what Broadcom has done following its acquisition of VMware.

It was back in 2022 when Broadcom, known for designing and manufacturing semiconductor products, announced plans to buy cloud computing and virtualization technology company VMware in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at approximately $61 billion. The deal also sees Broadcom assuming VMware's $8 billion in debt.

Broadcom said it had completed the acquisition of VMware last November 22. As is often the case with mergers, one of the first actions being taken by Broadcom is to implement mass layoffs across the company it's just bought.

At least 2,837 VMware employees across multiple states will be losing their jobs, including 1,267 at its California Palo Alto campus. But even more of VMware's 38,300 global workforce could be under threat; the final number might be even higher as not all the layoffs require WARN notices, which list the reason as "economic."

If that isn't enough to anger VMware employees, those who aren't being fired have been given an ultimatum by Broadcom CEO Hock Tan: "If you live within 50 miles of an office, you get your butt in here," he said.

"Collaboration is important and a key part of sustaining a culture with your peers, with your colleagues," Tan added.

VMware has long been a remote-friendly company, a stark contrast to Broadcom, which is so anti-work-from-home that it ordered some employees back into the office in April 2020, despite California's stay-at-home orders.

Few issues have caused such a rift between workers and employers quite like WFH. Many companies promised their staff that the remote work practices implemented during the pandemic would be permanent. But an increasing number of firms, including Amazon, Roblox, Google, and IBM, are telling employees they can either come back or find another job.

We've also seen an increasing number of reports recently about the benefits of in-office work and downsides of WFH, including this one that supposedly shows an 18% decline in productivity by home workers. However, forcing employees back has led to walkouts and petitions against the move. It's no surprise, given that some people say they'd rather quit or take a pay cut than return to the office.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/101046-broadcom-acquisition-vmware-leads-massive-layoffs-ceo-tells.html

 

[tigerwater]

Ludicrous. Until a study is published in a peer-reviewed, reputable journal, it is unsubstantiated. Working in the office is the greatest time-suck of all, with constant interruptions, noise, distractions and wasted time commuting.

Boomers love to drag out the tired cliché of in-person collaboration, which they don't understand how it can work remotely.

Oh, and newsflash, culture can't be forced.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

VMware's owners got greedy. $1.3 billion a year in profit just wasnt enough for them.

Ludicrous. Until a study is published in a peer-reviewed, reputable journal, it is unsubstantiated. Working in the office is the greatest time-suck of all, with constant interruptions, noise, distractions and wasted time commuting.

Boomers love to drag out the tired cliché of in-person collaboration, which they don't understand how it can work remotely.

Oh, and newsflash, culture can't be forced.

The same can be said of work from home.

 

[brucek]

Ludicrous. Until a study is published in a peer-reviewed, reputable journal, it is unsubstantiated. Working in the office is the greatest time-suck of all, with constant interruptions, noise, distractions and wasted time commuting.

Boomers love to drag out the tired cliché of in-person collaboration, which they don't understand how it can work remotely.

Oh, and newsflash, culture can't be forced.

Yes, and we'll probably never see that study, because I can't see how you could ever control for all the other important factors, at least for professional jobs.

My suspicion is that the quality of your manager, peers, other management systems, culture, and workflow processes each have much higher impacts on productivity than whether you're doing it from home or in the office. The productivity suitability of home environments probably varies from one home to the next too (and same for office now that I think of it.)

 

[Bobbygdue]

Boomers love to drag out the tired cliché of in-person collaboration, which they don't understand how it can work remotely.

Oh, and newsflash, culture can't be forced.

Being a boomer has nothing to do with this. I know several boomers who would rather work from home. They enjoyed it during lockdown and wished they didn't have to come back into the office.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Being a boomer has nothing to do with this. I know several boomers who would rather work from home. They enjoyed it during lockdown and wished they didn't have to come back into the office.

"Boomer" has long stopped having anything to do with the baby boom generation. It's a basic description for "people who are not up to date with "current thing"".

 

[PEnnn]

I guess those goofing off in the office / secretly taking naps / going to the coffee machine or kitchen every 20 minutes, taking extra long lunch breaks and attending useless daily meetings, etc are demonstrably more productive than anyone working from home!!

 

[James Ryan]

Ludicrous. Until a study is published in a peer-reviewed, reputable journal, it is unsubstantiated. Working in the office is the greatest time-suck of all, with constant interruptions, noise, distractions and wasted time commuting.

Boomers love to drag out the tired cliché of in-person collaboration, which they don't understand how it can work remotely.

Oh, and newsflash, culture can't be forced.

Could not agree more.
I work from home quite often and I generally get 1.5 - 2x as much done. Without any of the waste time.
I also get more free time as I don't lose an hour each way of transit. So I feel motivated to keep pulling my weight.
If I ever had to go back to the office fully I'd half *** it like everyone else.

 

[Puiu]

Ludicrous. Until a study is published in a peer-reviewed, reputable journal, it is unsubstantiated. Working in the office is the greatest time-suck of all, with constant interruptions, noise, distractions and wasted time commuting.

Boomers love to drag out the tired cliché of in-person collaboration, which they don't understand how it can work remotely.

Oh, and newsflash, culture can't be forced.

As someone who has done both, working from home just doesn't work properly. There was an initial increase in productivity and then it took a nose dive. Employee to employee relationships broke down and teams stopped working properly. Not to mention that any small thing that took 5 minutes in the office to discuss and do, started taking hours or days from home.

Working from home has its place in some work environments and jobs, but it's not universal at all.

And if you think in-person meetings are for "boomers" then you are completely wrong as both a business man/employee and human.

 

[Skully]

I'm not for or against working from home, it all depends on the the person and the job. But I do know one thing - if your company wants you to work from the office, you work from the office, or find a new job that allows you to work from home. I don't know where some folks got the idea that it's their "right" to work from home if they so choose - It's not.

 

[Prosercunus]

I'm not for or against working from home, it all depends on the the person and the job. But I do know one thing - if your company wants you to work from the office, you work from the office, or find a new job that allows you to work from home. I don't know where some folks got the idea that it's their "right" to work from home if they so choose - It's not.

Yeah, this is what blows my mind. What the hell is with the entitlement?

 

[anastrophe]

Yeah, this is what blows my mind. What the hell is with the entitlement?

Gen Z, otherwise known as slackers. Everything is someone else's fault, blame society, capitalism, climate change, anything at all in order to avoid being productive.

They are also stupendously triggerable.

 

[Shaitan]

The hypocrisy of these companies is unbelievable. During the pandemic, each and everyone of these entitled CEO's couldn't praise enough:
- how green and environmental friendly is working from home
- how productivity increased
- how we're all saving the planet by WFH.
Well, I guess they don't give a flying eff about the planet and saving it and that it's more important to keep the middle management work. And the shady deals for office rents. Right?

 

[Neatfeatguy]

Being a boomer has nothing to do with this. I know several boomers who would rather work from home. They enjoyed it during lockdown and wished they didn't have to come back into the office.

Agreed.

My mom was thrilled when she was able to transition to mostly working from home 7 or 8 years ago and then when all the covid BS lockdowns were forced upon us her roll went strictly to 100% at home until she retired right at the end of last year.

She hated the commute, drive to the bus station 1.5 miles away, park, ride the bus to downtown for 25 minutes, get into the building to work, bus back, drive back home everyday. She hated it. Spend an hour a day commuting was a waste for her, she didn't like a lot of her coworkers and hated that a lot wanted to chit-chat and so on.

On the other hand, I know some people that aren't boomers and they hate the remote working and love being back at the office.

 

[BogdanR]

Regarding WFH it all comes down to the individual work ethic. I concentrate better and I’m more productive at home, especially when I do design work. And then the equipment I design needs to be put together and commissioned which requires my presence in the plant and in the office 100%.

In all honesty the work I do is 85% concept/ design and 15% getting hands dirty/ commissioning equipment and this predates Covid for around 30 years.

I like having a 20ft commute, saving a bunch in gas/ mileage/ maintenance and, most importantly, one and a half hour of more sleep in the morning.

I would understand if the actual business needs of a company change, requiring 100% office work. Such changes should be plainly explained by senior management. Going with “get your *** in the office” is insensitive I would never work for someone like that, even if I would need to find work which is 100% office. Such attitude from the managers is representative of a ****ed up work environment.

I’ve worked for this kind of bipolar, “my way or the highway” owner, never again.

 

[Puiu]

The hypocrisy of these companies is unbelievable. During the pandemic, each and everyone of these entitled CEO's couldn't praise enough:
- how green and environmental friendly is working from home
- how productivity increased
- how we're all saving the planet by WFH.
Well, I guess they don't give a flying eff about the planet and saving it and that it's more important to keep the middle management work. And the shady deals for office rents. Right?

Because it initially worked, but time has proven again and again that it doesn't.

 

[BogdanR]

Because it initially worked, but time has proven again and again that it doesn't.

Perhaps it doesn’t work for your particular company or your management role. You can’t really generalize.

The points you’re making somewhere up in this discussion really don’t work in my company’s case.

 

[VaRmeNsI]

I think it depends on the job and life at home, which ever maximises productivity should be the ultimate decider on a per employee basis.

 

[Puiu]

Perhaps it doesn’t work for your particular company or your management role. You can’t really generalize.

The points you’re making somewhere up in this discussion really don’t work in my company’s case.

Yes I can 100% generalize because that's the general trend. Success stories are the rare ones.

Do you honestly think that companies are sacrificing "productivity" just to mess with their employees? No, they obviously are not, it makes zero sense to believe that. It's time to accept the fact that the COVID online boom is over.

Here's the coincidence, while I'm not a designer (I'm a programmer), I'm surrounded by them since I work for a branding company. Those who come to the office get things done. Those that don't need 100 zoom meetings for the smallest things and they still don't finish anything properly. Unless you are a one man team and do just simple things that don't require feedback from your clients then yeah, you can design from home at your own pace

 

[BogdanR]

Yes I can 100% generalize because that's the general trend. Success stories are the rare ones.

Do you honestly think that companies are sacrificing "productivity" just to mess with their employees? No, they obviously are not, it makes zero sense to believe that. It's time to accept the fact that the COVID online boom is over.

Here's the coincidence, while I'm not a designer (I'm a programmer), I'm surrounded by them since I work for a branding company. Those who come to the office get things done. Those that don't need 100 zoom meetings for the smallest things and they still don't finish anything properly. Unless you are a one man team and do just simple things that don't require feedback from your clients then yeah, you can design from home at your own pace

Again generalizing out of your own experience which really shows how poorly your workplace is staffed and managed. As simple as that.
Besides how else someone like me can turn scanned napkin scratchings sent over Friday at 3PM into workable concepts presentable to the 10AM Monday morning meeting to Senior Management? And we’re not talking about a few lines of AI generated code but about linking different transmissions types to an engine while rerouting different systems to make it all fit into a tight confined space. Yea, I have unreasonable managers too. At least they leave us manage our time as we see fit. The minute they yank flexible hybrid work I’m out of there.

 

[Puiu]

Again generalizing out of your own experience which really shows how poorly your workplace is staffed and managed. As simple as that.
Besides how else someone like me can turn scanned napkin scratchings sent over Friday at 3PM into workable concepts presentable to the 10AM Monday morning meeting to Senior Management? And we’re not talking about a few lines of AI generated code but about linking different transmissions types to an engine while rerouting different systems to make it all fit into a tight confined space. Yea, I have unreasonable managers too. At least they leave us manage our time as we see fit. The minute they yank flexible hybrid work I’m out of there.

Wrong I'm generalizing based on studies done, alongside my and many other's experience. And it's definitely not the managers, it's the from home workers. Unless you have a job that doesn't demand attention to detail you are much better off working from office.

Here's one of the white papers if you want to read it:

Working from Home, Worker Sorting and Development

Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers, and business professionals.

www.nber.org

 

[BogdanR]

Wrong I'm generalizing based on studies done, alongside my and many other's experience. And it's definitely not the managers, it's the from home workers. Unless you have a job that doesn't demand attention to detail you are much better off working from office.

Here's one of the white papers if you want to read it:

Working from Home, Worker Sorting and Development

Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers, and business professionals.

www.nber.org

Data entry workers from India? This is your cited study source of productivity?

Thank you, I needed the laugh!

I'm a Senior Mechanical Engineer, holding a Master Degree in Machine Design and Automation, with 37 years of hands on experience in the field, working for a billion dollar Tier1 automotive company. If you own a car, you have parts in it that were either tested or assembled by equipment designed and commissioned by yours truly.

Most issues in my industry are due to management. Period. Most problems in ANY industry are due to management. If you need good workers you need to first attract them, then pay and treat them well so they stay. You also need an effective leadership style, both goal and people oriented. This last part, effective leadership is mostly missing pretty much everywhere. In my almost 40 years of work history (I started as a lowly machine operator), I can count on one hand the good leaders I've had and I don't need all the fingers.

But hey, Senior Management needs something or someone to blame for their own lack of performance and vision. Middle management needs to justify their (mostly) unjustified existence largely proven by places which were in fact more productive during pandemic times (such as my department). So let them commission all the "studies" they need to bring us back in the office full time. I have this funny feeling our productivity will get back to the same lower level it was when we were consulting our watches for the lunch breaks or going home at 4:30. At least they will get the satisfaction of frowning on us for all the imagined things which are supposed to get us more productive and more cohesive as a team. And why not, let the company spend more on overhead such as water and energy, as that surely would reflect positively on the bottom line.

With this I have absolutely nothing else to add to this pointless conversation.

Enjoy your studies. I will continue to enjoy hybrid work and going to the plant when my presence is needed, as dictated by our business needs (yes I do need to be in the office/ plant about 15-20% of my working time, especially when the equipment I design is assembled, tested and commissioned for production)

 

[Karl Hungus]

Yes I can 100% generalize because that's the general trend. Success stories are the rare ones.

Do you honestly think that companies are sacrificing "productivity" just to mess with their employees? No, they obviously are not, it makes zero sense to believe that. It's time to accept the fact that the COVID online boom is over.

Here's the coincidence, while I'm not a designer (I'm a programmer), I'm surrounded by them since I work for a branding company. Those who come to the office get things done. Those that don't need 100 zoom meetings for the smallest things and they still don't finish anything properly. Unless you are a one man team and do just simple things that don't require feedback from your clients then yeah, you can design from home at your own pace

In your specific case maybe (tech jobs) that is the case. We have been forced back to work two days per week by our 'old man' management (I have degrees in Civil Eng and Finance), and I get WAY less done in the office than I do at home. Two days is PLENTY to 'collaborate'. My commute is only 4 min, so that isn't an issue to me. Tech jobs make up a small % of the jobs out there...your view is myopic. Several studies have shown this, and 4 day work weeks have been a success everywhere they've been implemented. I'm sure you can point to old-school, right-wing funded studies that cater to the old men that show otherwise, but I've only seen the one that the staunchly right-wing, old-school focused media keeps spouting (the 18% one). I had no idea who 'Hock E. Tan' was, but I guessed (correctly) that he was probably an old man. It has nothing to do with 'productivity', it's all about control. Backing an argument put forth by another greedy, narcissist, sociopathic CEO who immediately cut a bunch of jobs through another merger that should have been blocked is positively Orwellian...

 

[Puiu]

Data entry workers from India? This is your cited study source of productivity?

Thank you, I needed the laugh!

I'm a Senior Mechanical Engineer, holding a Master Degree in Machine Design and Automation, with 37 years of hands on experience in the field, working for a billion dollar Tier1 automotive company. If you own a car, you have parts in it that were either tested or assembled by equipment designed and commissioned by yours truly.

Most issues in my industry are due to management. Period. Most problems in ANY industry are due to management. If you need good workers you need to first attract them, then pay and treat them well so they stay. You also need an effective leadership style, both goal and people oriented. This last part, effective leadership is mostly missing pretty much everywhere. In my almost 40 years of work history (I started as a lowly machine operator), I can count on one hand the good leaders I've had and I don't need all the fingers.

But hey, Senior Management needs something or someone to blame for their own lack of performance and vision. Middle management needs to justify their (mostly) unjustified existence largely proven by places which were in fact more productive during pandemic times (such as my department). So let them commission all the "studies" they need to bring us back in the office full time. I have this funny feeling our productivity will get back to the same lower level it was when we were consulting our watches for the lunch breaks or going home at 4:30. At least they will get the satisfaction of frowning on us for all the imagined things which are supposed to get us more productive and more cohesive as a team. And why not, let the company spend more on overhead such as water and energy, as that surely would reflect positively on the bottom line.

With this I have absolutely nothing else to add to this pointless conversation.

Enjoy your studies. I will continue to enjoy hybrid work and going to the plant when my presence is needed, as dictated by our business needs (yes I do need to be in the office/ plant about 15-20% of my working time, especially when the equipment I design is assembled, tested and commissioned for production)

TL;DR you think that your very specific case applies to what is seen in the real world. Got it.

 

[Puiu]

In your specific case maybe (tech jobs) that is the case. We have been forced back to work two days per week by our 'old man' management (I have degrees in Civil Eng and Finance), and I get WAY less done in the office than I do at home. Two days is PLENTY to 'collaborate'. My commute is only 4 min, so that isn't an issue to me. Tech jobs make up a small % of the jobs out there...your view is myopic. Several studies have shown this, and 4 day work weeks have been a success everywhere they've been implemented. I'm sure you can point to old-school, right-wing funded studies that cater to the old men that show otherwise, but I've only seen the one that the staunchly right-wing, old-school focused media keeps spouting (the 18% one). I had no idea who 'Hock E. Tan' was, but I guessed (correctly) that he was probably an old man. It has nothing to do with 'productivity', it's all about control. Backing an argument put forth by another greedy, narcissist, sociopathic CEO who immediately cut a bunch of jobs through another merger that should have been blocked is positively Orwellian...

That's just one study. There are many out there.

As for you insulting CEOs, you are pretty much insulting the vast majority of CEOs for wanting to increase productivity.

Does it increase the burden on the employee? Obviously. Does it change what I said about productivity? Obviously not.