Canva announces restructuring and layoffs affecting 22 percent of staff
Canva co-founder and CEO Melanie Perkins announced changes affecting 1,271 people, or 22 percent of the design platform's workforce. Some employees will lose their jobs, while others will see their roles change or be asked to relocate.
Canva, the Australian company behind an online design platform, is making sweeping changes that affect 1,271 people, or 22 percent of its staff. Co-founder and CEO Melanie Perkins announced the move on November 3. Some employees will get different roles or be asked to relocate to centralised hubs, while others will be laid off.
In a note to staff, Perkins said that after exploring a wide range of alternatives she had reached the difficult conclusion that small changes would not be enough. In her words, the company needs to "refound" itself by returning to small, empowered teams that are free to make decisions and take ownership.
What is changing
Canva will merge its Product, Growth and Platform teams into a single product organization. It will also simplify management layers and consolidate overlapping responsibilities. Sydney will become the primary home for more of the company's product teams, as well as for roles in other specialties where shared context and close collaboration matter most.
Starting in January, Canva will expect most hybrid employees to work from an office two to three days a week, depending on what makes sense in their area.
Support for departing staff
People leaving the company will receive at least six months of salary, twelve months of healthcare coverage and career support resources.
The Verge, which reported the news, noted that website-building platform Squarespace announced layoffs affecting 19 percent of its staff the day before.
