Canva plans organizational restructuring, potentially cutting or relocating 22% of employees

Several years ago, the rapid development of streaming platforms opened up numerous new opportunities in the entertainment industry. Companies such as Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video actively produced new films and series to reach as many viewers as possible, which led to hiring staff for teams involved in content, marketing, technology, and production. However, the situation has begun to change: major entertainment corporations are now focused on reducing costs, consolidating teams, and changing operational structures, which directly impacts employee employment.

Disney is preparing for another major workforce reduction. According to a report from November 3rd, the company is considering laying off thousands of employees. Executives have been instructed to find ways to save up to 20% of annual operating expenses. This savings can be achieved by reducing headcount and cutting other costs. Previously in April, the company planned to cut about 1000 positions, with concerns focusing on the marketing department. In September, there were also reports of several hundred layoffs from human resources and technology departments.

Changes at Disney are not limited to the streaming business; the company's television channels, theme parks, and film studios may also face this pressure. Disney management plans to reinvest some of the funds saved into film and TV content production, new technologies, as well as into the theme park and cruise liner businesses.

Netflix has also reduced its staff as part of its streaming business development. In October 2026, Netflix laid off about 1000 employees, which accounted for approximately 6% of the total workforce. The reduction affected teams responsible for product, technology, legal, and human resources. Netflix aims to diversify revenue streams, not relying solely on subscriptions, by investing in sectors such as advertising, live streaming, and gaming. Furthermore, the company is investing in AI-powered film creation technology. In March 2026, Netflix acquired the AI filmmaking startup InterPositive, founded by actor Ben Affleck. According to Bloomberg, this deal could be worth up to $600 million.

Job cuts are not only observed in streaming services. The British public broadcaster BBC is also preparing for major changes, according to one report, with around 2000 positions potentially being eliminated. Hundreds of jobs in the BBC's news department are expected to be at risk. This trend demonstrates that traditional media companies are also reviewing their operations due to changing audience preferences, competition from digital platforms, and economic pressure.

Employee anxiety is also growing due to mergers and acquisitions in the entertainment industry. After Warner Bros. Discovery's acquisition in October, Skydance offered some employees the option to leave voluntarily. Now, following the merger of the two companies, the consolidation of many work groups and cost reduction is planned. The company aims to save $6 billion over the next three years. Employees face uncertainty regarding their jobs amid plans for integration and downsizing due to significant debt and overlapping functions.

The business of streaming platforms is not disappearing; companies continue to invest in content, technology, and new ways of engaging with audiences. However, simply producing more films and shows is not enough; it is now necessary to assess the profitability of these investments and the ability to manage the business with lower costs. This is why companies are merging teams, reducing management levels, and reviewing staffing levels. This can affect workers in marketing, technology, content production, corporate operations, and distribution.

For employees who gained new opportunities during the boom of streaming, it is becoming critically important to adapt to new requirements. In the future, acquiring new skills and aligning with technology may become an even more crucial condition for obtaining and retaining employment in the entertainment sector.

The international design platform Canva has announced layoffs. This decision will affect about 22 percent of the company's total staff, amounting to 1,271 employees. Canva CEO Melanie Perkins called this moment the most difficult in the history of the thirteen-year-old company.

However, despite the layoffs, not all affected employees will lose their jobs; some may see changes in their responsibilities or be offered relocation to other cities. Melanie Perkins stated in a message sent to employees on November 4th that the company is making changes to its working methods, team structure, and necessary skills for the future.

According to the CEO, Canva's business growth has slowed for the first time in a decade, making this year the toughest for the company. Perkins emphasized the need for large-scale transformations in the operational structure to prepare for the next decade, as minor adjustments would not suffice.

The company aims to work with smaller, more autonomous teams to accelerate decision-making and clearly define employee responsibilities. Although the CEO's message did not directly mention the impact of artificial intelligence on layoffs, the decision comes against the backdrop of increasing use of AI tools in the design and software industry, which is changing the competitive landscape and business practices.

Canva plans to consolidate its product, growth, and platform teams under a single product organization. The goal of this step is to increase cohesion between different groups and reduce workflow delays. Furthermore, the company intends to reduce management levels and consolidate certain functions so they carry broader responsibilities.

The company wants teams to be able to run projects from start to finish independently, avoiding constant reliance on different departments for decision-making.

Canva plans to concentrate some of its product and other teams in Sydney. Employees may be asked to relocate there, and the company will assist them with the move. Starting in January, most hybrid employees will be required to come into the office two to three days a week. The company notes that while working in different countries has its advantages, collaborative teamwork is essential for solving complex problems.

For those leaving the company, Canva has announced a support package. Departing employees will receive at least six months' pay, in addition to all legally mandated payments. Additionally, they will be offered career counseling, interview preparation, and access to LinkedIn Premium for one year.

It was also announced that employees whose positions are being eliminated can keep their corporate MacBook laptops. Moreover, some employees will be offered the opportunity to apply for a $10,000 grant to launch a new business or public project. This decision by Canva demonstrates the company's commitment to a complete reorganization, even though it means 1,271 employees must now seek a new career path.

Canva is undertaking a large-scale workforce restructuring affecting 1,271 employees, which accounts for 22% of its total staff, as it reorganizes its business to align with rapid technological changes. These changes include staff reductions, role modifications, and relocation requests, although the company has not yet disclosed the exact number of laid-off employees.

CEO Melanie Perkins stated that this restructuring followed the company's first growth slowdown in the last decade and reflects the need to rethink working methods and team organization. In a memo to employees published on November 4th, Perkins called this the most challenging moment in Canva's 13-year history. She noted that 'new technologies are transforming what people can create, how they do it, and what they expect from the products they use.'

The memorandum did not directly blame artificial intelligence for the staffing changes. It also cited slowing growth and a fragmented organizational structure that arose during the company's expansion. Perkins wrote: 'After studying a wide range of alternatives, I came to the difficult conclusion that small changes would not be enough. To prepare for the next decade, we need to restructure Canva by returning to our roots—small, empowered teams that have the freedom to make decisions, take responsibility, and focus on what is most important to our community.'

Canva will merge its product, growth, and platform teams into a single product organization, reduce narrow specialization, and eliminate management layers. Sydney will become the main base for more product teams. Starting in January, most hybrid employees will be required to work in the office two to three days a week, depending on their location.

Founded in Australia in 2013 by Perkins, Cliff Obrecht, and Cameron Adams, Canva has evolved into a global design platform. The company claims that its platform is used by over 250 million people monthly. Canva is now striving to move beyond template-based design. This year, Canva AI 2.0 was introduced, allowing users to create and edit multi-layered designs through dialogues with an AI assistant. In October, the company also announced new AI-powered tools and a design-focused model.

In August, Canva lowered its revenue growth forecast for 2026 from 30% to 20% because the cost of implementing AI features proved higher than expected. Competitors are also expanding their offerings. On November 3rd, Figma announced an AI feature that uses prototype interactions as context when generating code. In March, Atlassian announced layoffs of about 1,600 jobs, or 10% of its staff, partly to fund larger investments in AI. This week, the Squarespace platform announced a voluntary staff reduction of 19%, citing the need to streamline operations.

Regulation is developing parallel to technology. As of August 2nd, transparency requirements under the EU AI Act apply to certain AI systems. These include informing users about interaction with AI and ensuring machine-readable labels for AI-generated results. Canva assured that departing employees will receive at least six months' salary, 12 months of health insurance in countries where it is provided, career support, and access to $10,000 grants for those wishing to start their own business.