Slalom Layoffs 2023 - What happened to Slalom Consulting?

Slalom Layoffs – Over 900 employees of the consulting company Slalom are facing possible layoffs as a result of a restructuring. The layoffs were made public by the CEO of Slalom, Brad Jackson, in a LinkedIn post. Slalom started as a “small business with big dreams with 100 employees in 2001. Now, the company turns out to be a global services business with 13,000 employees.

Slalom is a global business and technology consulting firm with operations in 44 regions across seven countries. It collaborates with more than 400 partners in customer relationship management (CRM), data and analytics, and digital experiences. Slalom is the most recent enterprise operating in the channel to lay off employees. Since the beginning of 2023, more than 40 workers have been laid off. Let us know more about the layoffs at Slalom in detail in this article.

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About the company

Slalom is a business and technology consulting organization. It has its main office in Seattle, Washington. Slalom, Inc.’s segment operates in 45 markets and 16 build centers across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Slalom generates more than $2 billion in revenue annually.

The company that is now officially known as Slalom, Inc. was founded as Accounting Quest, LLC, in Denver, Colorado, in 1993. The business redesigned and officially changed its name to Slalom, LLC, in 2010. Slalom, Inc. replaced Slalom, LLC as the company’s name in 2023.

Slalom serves clients all over the world with tech-related services across a variety of industries. This includes Alaska Airlines, Allstate, eBay, Hyatt, Microsoft, REI, and others. For the eighth year in a row, Slalom has made Fortune’s list of the 100 Best Companies to Work for.

Slalom Consulting laid off 900 employees

Slalom Consulting is famous for its expertise in consulting services. It began the process of cutting around 7% of its 13,000 global employees this month (September 2023). The recent announcement of layoffs by Slalom Consulting shocked the sector.

Brad Jackson, the CEO of Slalom, stated in a LinkedIn post on September 6, 2023, that the business needs to restructure. This is done to face future challenges.

“We decided on the difficult decision to restructure Slalom,” Jackson wrote. “We carefully considered and discussed all possibilities with our senior leaders, executive committee, and board of directors. We talk about how to best position our company during this period of major changes within our industry and how to plan for the future. Around 7% of our employees will leave the company as a result of this.”

According to Jackson, “every business has times of challenge, growth, and change.” He wrote, “Since our beginnings, I have mostly conveyed good news.” “Today is unique. It’s a day I hoped would never arrive, and I sincerely hope it won’t.”

Over 900 individuals, or 7% of the 13,000 total workforce, will be let go. Jackson did not specify which of the 35 American and 15 foreign offices of the business would see the tech layoffs.

In response to a CRN request for more details, Slalom sent a CRN to Jackson’s LinkedIn post. It seems that the Slalom layoffs were widespread, based on posts on LinkedIn.

Reasons for the layoffs

Slalom, a well-known consulting firm with a global presence, has also avoided mass layoffs in 2023. They partially achieved this by shifting underutilized employees from one department of the company to another.

Ted Prendergast is the director of talent acquisition at Slalom. He said:

“I’m happy for the Slalom leadership to be working together to repurpose staff, rethink utilization, and truly put employees first.”

Slalom Consulting has now decided to lay off 900 people, which was a painful decision. A number of internal and external factors have affected the business operations and financial stability. These have been blamed for this strategic decision.

The consulting industry is renowned for being dynamic. They usually adjust to shifting consumer expectations. Slalom Consulting, like many other companies, has faced difficulties lately. It is notable as a result of the economic difficulties brought on by global crises.

According to the company’s management, the layoffs are a preventive measure. They used to guarantee its long-term viability. Also, it helps position the business for future growth.

Employees about recent departures at Slalom

There are a lot of employees being laid off with the notification. These employees are drawn from different organizational divisions and levels. Thus, it is showing the restructuring process’s far-reaching effects.

It’s important to understand the issues these people will now confront on both a personal and professional level. It’s critical to acknowledge and assist those affected at this time.

Slalom Consulting’s leaders have stated their commitment to offering support and resources to the affected employees. This includes severance compensation, outplacement services, and help in finding new employment prospects. These measures are taken based on the fact that this decrease in the workforce is tough.

An Austin, Texas-based data engineering consultant with Slalom said on LinkedIn that September 8, 2023, will be his last day working there. He expressed his gratitude for the opportunity.

“Slalom has assisted me in developing my data engineering skills. They allowed me to take part in interesting projects with companies like Meta, AMD, and Securian. I was able to seek certifications in technologies like AWS, Snowflake, and Google Cloud throughout my tenure at Slalom. This had prepared me for bigger and better tasks later on,” the data consultant noted.

In a LinkedIn post, a senior expert for talent acquisition in the Seattle region stated that “everything good has to come to an end.”

“My two years at Slalom have been extremely enjoyable. I’m thankful to have met so many lovely people. Despite the fact that I had to leave my job due to layoffs, I am happy to have worked for such a great organization. 2023 has been quite the roller coaster of feelings for me. But I’m hoping I will land a new position soon!” wrote the senior specialist.

Slalom’s New York-based employee in human resources posted a note. She expressed her sadness at leaving the company.

I’m sorry to leave a firm where I invested 5.5 years of my career. I’m one of the 7% affected by Slalom’s unexpected layoffs. I’m glad for the possibilities to learn and grow in the talent space at Slalom. I’d love to get in touch with anyone who knows of any openings or who can offer any network support. Thank you,” the talent strategist said.

A technical product manager for AWS and GenAI in Slalom’s Chicago location claimed that she was among the 7% of employees who were laid off.

“I want to thank each one of you for supporting me during my professional career. Your enthusiasm and support mean the world to me. I’m looking forward to keeping in touch as I start this new chapter,” the technical product manager wrote.

What happened to Slalom Consulting?

Slalom Consulting is one of many companies that have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Businesses look to external expertise to tackle obstacles and drive expansion. Also, the consulting industry strongly depends on a stable and growing economy. However, several firms have cut back on consultative engagements or even delayed initiatives in response to the COVID-19 epidemic.

There are many causes for this drop in demand. Firstly, companies are putting more of their focus on cost-cutting and protecting their cash reserves. This results in less money being spent on consulting and other non-essential services. Second, when internal teams adjust to the virtual working environment, some firms may believe that the need for external consultants has decreased. It’s due to remote work that has become the new norm.

Consultancy firms compete for a smaller pool of clients and projects. It’s due to the consulting industry’s slump. Also, the market has become extremely competitive. Thus, companies like Slalom Consulting have been forced to make tough choices, like layoffs. This is done to simplify operations and save expenses to survive and remain competitive.

Despite these obstacles, Slalom Consulting has been dedicated to reacting to its clients’ changing demands. To handle the changing business landscape, the company has focused on issues. This includes digital transformation, cybersecurity, and remote collaboration. Slalom Consulting hopes to weather the storm and carry on providing value in a post-pandemic environment. They are doing it by matching their services with the newly emergent needs of clients.

Conclusion

Slalom Consulting is a well-known business that works with a broad spectrum of clients in different sectors. Yet, the pandemic’s effects have seriously disrupted client relationships and project scopes.

Due to the uncertain economic climate, many clients have been forced to reevaluate their priorities. They also postponed several activities. For Slalom Consulting, this has resulted in a decrease in the number and scope of consulting projects. Also, clients who are severely affected by the pandemic might only have a small amount of money to spend on advisory services. This decreases the company’s opportunity.

Thus, Slalom Consulting is aiming to overcome these obstacles. They intend to become stronger in the future by adjusting to the changing environment. Also, they are tailoring their services to meet customer expectations.

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