Unilever IT announced another IT layoff on 27 January. Several directors in the U.K. and Bangalore have left... The company reconfirmed all IT Directors in North America are being let go.
Consultation is taking place in both U.K. and India to start getting rid of IT managers.
Layoff is led by consultants, I think it's BCG or Boston Consulting Group.
Unilever IT is not a good place to be right now, more work, fewer people, incompetent managers.
I would clarify that Unilever is exiting the developed world when it comes to employing people and paying taxes. The company is still quite happy to sell in Europe and North America, but all the revenue is shifted out. The question is how long can Unilever harvest the developed markets before the lack of investment (and lack of innovation) impacts the cash.
Regarding layoffs, more than 3000 WL2+ so far this year. The US, UK, and Netherlands were hit hard, Germany is to follow. IT and Finance have been decimated in these countries. I've heard Bangalore will be reduced 10%, but don't know for sure, they are keeping that quiet.
The board just agrees with whatever management says, and should be replaced.
Unilever will reduce FTE by 10-15% globally in 2017. There will be a 30% reduction in marketing from efficiencies of the new organisation. Finance will reduce roles 10-15%. Every other function, even those who have just done an FTE reduction, are in scope to remove more people.
Most HR, IT, and Finance roles have already been off-shored Bangalore or Manila, but any other role that can be moved from Europe or the US to a low cost country will go. However -- there will be layoffs in Bangalore as well, mostly in IT and Finance Services. The UK will also see layoffs, and some offices might close. There will be strict controls on hiring contractors, this time for real, with the entire process being centralised and requiring multiple approvals.
Unilever is swinging hard towards becoming a company that is only in D&E markets, and will continue to exit the developed world (unless the board wakes up and begins to do its job instead of just rubber stamping everything.)