Just days after being celebrated as one of B.C.’s “anchor companies” — though not quite taking home the trophy at this year’s BC Tech Association awards — Hootsuite is back in the headlines for a less flattering reason: layoffs.
The Vancouver-based social media management company confirmed to Business in Vancouver this afternoon that it is cutting roughly 20% of its global workforce, representing hundreds of employees. The company declined to specify an exact number.
“Today, we made the difficult decision to restructure our organization, reducing our global workforce by 20%,” Hootsuite said in a statement to BIV. “Hootsuite wouldn’t be what it is today without the dedication of our people. Each person leaving has made a difference, and we’re grateful for their impact.”
The company added that it is “committed to managing this transition with care,” offering support to both departing and remaining employees.
The news comes less than a week after Hootsuite was recognized as a finalist in the Anchor Company of the Year category at the BC Technology Impact Awards.
In a promotional video for the event, Chief Customer Officer Tara Ataya described Hootsuite as a homegrown success story rooted in British Columbia’s innovation economy.
“BC is a really unique place,” Ataya said. “It’s a place where companies like Hootsuite can be founded on the principles that innovation and social impact can coexist. We weren’t just founded here — we’ve grown up here, and our roots are deep.”
Those roots may feel a little less stable this week.
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