Login
iscover
Deloitte is set to shed over 700 roles across the firm despite recording its sixth successive year of double-digit revenue growth.
Newsletter
Deloitte shores up ‘long-term sustainability’ with 700 job cuts
22 June 2020
•
11 minute read
You’re out of free articles for this month
To continue reading the rest of this article, please log in.
Create free account to get unlimited news articles and more!
The big four firm announced on Monday afternoon that it would reduce partner and staff numbers by approximately 7 per cent of its over 10,000-strong workforce.
The job losses will happen across “most business units and internal client service departments”, with greater reductions in the consulting and advisory parts of the business.
It is understood that Deloitte’s external audit practice will be sheltered from the incoming redundancies.
Deloitte chief executive Richard Deutsch told partners and staff that while revenue for the financial year had grown by 10 per cent — the sixth consecutive year it has achieved double-digit growth — the firm had experienced a “significant decline” in its revenue base in the final quarter ended 31 May.
This included a 19 per cent year-on-year decline in revenue for the month of May, with the firm expecting the depressed revenue to carry over into the first quarter of the new financial year.
The job reductions come after Deloitte implemented a 20 per cent pay cut for staff and a minimum reduction between 20 and 25 per cent in earnings for partners in mid-April in response to the growing threat of the COVID-19 crisis.
==
==
Mr Deutsch laid the blame for the cuts squarely on the COVID-19 crisis, noting that the firm had strived to “preserve as many jobs as possible while also protecting the long-term sustainability of the firm”.
“Today, I have announced a second round of measures that includes a reduction in our workforce, actions that would not have occurred had it not been for the impact of COVID-19,” Mr Deutsch said.
“The health, safety and wellbeing of our people are central to our purpose and values as a firm, so this has not been an easy day.
“We are committed to work with our people that are leaving us in a way that shows genuine empathy and care for their situation.”
Job losses across the big four
Deloitte’s announcement comes after rival firm PwC announced 400 redundancies last week, while KPMG moved to cut 200 roles at the start of April.
However, at 7 per cent, Deloitte’s job cuts are now the largest across the big four, both in terms of percentage figures and absolute employee numbers.
Big four firm EY has yet to announce any redundancies. The firm had previously implemented a cut in work hours and pay from 1 May to 30 June.
You are not authorised to post comments.
Comments will undergo moderation before they get published.