Broadcom CEO tells VMware employees that it doesn’t do company-wide parties or employee-resource groups: ‘That’s an alien concept to me’

• Broadcom CEO Hock Tan addressed company culture in an all-hands on Tuesday.
• Broadcom, according to Tan, does not have employee resource groups or company-wide celebrations.
• Employees from VMware who join Broadcom as a result of the acquisition will experience a different work culture.

Some of VMware’s most prized aspects of culture are unlikely to survive the Broadcom acquisition.

On November 22, Broadcom completed its $69 billion acquisition of VMware. In an all-hands meeting on Tuesday, Broadcom CEO Hock Tan answered questions from VMware employees. According to a meeting recording viewed by Business Insider, some employees inquired about company culture perks such as employee resource groups and company-wide parties, both of which Tan stated Broadcom does not provide.

One employee inquired about Broadcom’s support for ERGs, which are work groups that aim to foster community among the company’s underrepresented groups and can be focused on race, gender, sexual orientation, or other aspects of identity. At VMware, ERGs were referred to as “pods.”

“One experience that I know I had and a lot of other people had from VMware was pods, which are employee-resource groups,” said the staff member. “I’m curious what kind of support Broadcom has for programs like that.”

Tan responded with a laugh, “What is that?” I’m only kidding. Do you want me to be blunt? That is a foreign concept to me.”

Tan added that while Broadcom does not have these groups, it does not rule out the possibility that it should and that it could learn from them.

Another employee inquired about Broadcom’s celebrations.

“You’ve got a good point,” Tan said. “We don’t do Bollywood dances.”

Tan went on to say that Broadcom used to throw a Christmas party but no longer does. He stated that Broadcom does not hold company-wide celebrations, but that each division may hold celebratory or team-building events if they so desire.

“I was Santa, but that didn’t get done very well, so we killed it,” Tan went on to say. “No, we don’t have annual dinners or anything like that.” No, we don’t. Having said that, each of the product divisions is free to do their own thing. We just let them do it.”

Tan also stated at the meeting that he expects employees who live within 50 miles of an office to return to the office, which is a departure from VMware’s remote-friendly culture. Another email sent Thursday stated that employees should return to the office by December 4, according to BI.

Since the acquisition was first announced in May 2022, VMware employees have expressed concern about the company’s future, predicting deep job cuts, the divestiture of certain units, and a completely different work culture at Broadcom.

On Monday, Broadcom laid off VMware employees. Before the acquisition closed, VMware employees received an email informing them that they would either receive an offer from Broadcom, a transitional role, or severance pay, according to BI. Prior to the acquisition, VMware had begun laying off employees.

Broadcom did not respond immediately to a request for comment.