Xerox to cut 15pc of global workforce, putting Irish jobs at risk

4 Jan 2024

Image: Ken Bosma/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

The job cuts are expected to impact more than 3,000 staff worldwide this quarter, mirroring the tech layoffs that took place at the start of 2023.

Digital printing company Xerox is planning to cut thousands of staff this quarter, as part of a “reinvention” strategy that could lead to Irish job losses.

The company said it aims to reduce its workforce in this first quarter of 2024 and that it will provide “transition support” for affected staff. The change has also led to a shake-up among Xerox’s executive leadership team, with two members departing from the company.

Xerox employed about 20,500 staff globally at the end of 2022, according to a filing seen by CNBC, which suggests the layoffs will impact more than 3,000 staff worldwide.

The company has been present in Ireland for decades and announced a significant recruitment drive here in the late 1990s. Xerox still has multiple offices in Ireland and owns managed print services provider Irish Business Systems, but the current size of its Irish workforce is unknown.

In 2017, Alan Brown was the managing director of Xerox Ireland and told SiliconRepublic.com that he led a team of 260. Xerox has been asked to comment on the number of Irish jobs at risk from its planned global reductions but has not responded.

Xerox CEO Steven Bandrowczak said the reinvention of the company is focused on improving its core print business, increasing productivity by forming a new global business services organisation, and “disciplined execution in revenue diversification”.

“The shift to a business unit operating model is a continuation of our client-focused, balanced execution priorities and is designed to accelerate product and services, go-to-market and corporate functions’ operating efficiencies across all geographies we serve,” Bandrowczak said.

The announcement of global layoffs from Xerox mirrors the start of 2023, which saw multiple tech companies reduce their workforces in response to an economic downturn.

This time last year, Salesforce confirmed plans to cut 10pc of its total workforce. This was followed by Amazon, when CEO Andy Jassy said the company planned to sack more than 18,000 of its staff.

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Image: Ken Bosma via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Leigh Mc Gowran is a journalist with Silicon Republic

editorial@siliconrepublic.com