Sydney-based global online design platform Canva has announced a major organizational restructuring following its first slowdown in growth in a decade. The move will affect 1,271 employees—approximately 22% of its total workforce—through layoffs, role adjustments, or relocations to key office hubs. The exact number of layoffs has not yet been disclosed.
In a letter to staff, CEO Melanie Perkins stated that emerging technologies are transforming how people create and what they expect from products, rendering minor adjustments insufficient. She described this restructuring as the most difficult moment in Canva’s 13-year history. The company intends to streamline its organization, reduce over-specialization, and return to a model of small, fully empowered teams.
Canva is a major player in the design software sector, enabling individuals without a design background to create presentations, social media graphics, and marketing materials. According to the company’s website, it has 260 million monthly active users and generates $3.5 billion in annual revenue.
This shift reflects broader changes across the software industry: AI is empowering users to accomplish more tasks without relying on specialized software, while companies are leveraging AI to reduce their need for human labor.
Canva will concentrate more of its product teams in Sydney, with a greater number of employees expected to work together in person. Starting next January, most employees currently in hybrid roles will be required to work from the office two to three days per week.