In the second half of October, Nokia announced its intention to eliminate up to 14,000. jobs as part of cost cutting. It turns out that the layoffs also apply to the company’s Polish branches, where over 800 people may lose their jobs.
According to the company, the planned layoffs are mainly due to declines in revenues from mobile networks in North America and moderate sales volumes in the key market in India. Due to this, the Finnish giant plans to lay off up to 14,000 employees. Nokia forecasts that in this way it will be able to save from EUR 800 million to EUR 1.2 billion by 2026.
Currently, Nokia employs 86,000 people around the world. After collective layoffs, their number will drop to 72,000-77,000.
Nokia has the largest R&D center in Poland
In Poland, Nokia employs over 6,000. people. Three quarters of employees work in the research and development department, which carries out various types of projects commissioned by the parent group. He specializes in the latest telecommunications technologies, including: 5G and projects in the field of broadband access technology, radio technologies and network management support. The largest center, where approximately 4.5 thousand people work. people, is located in Wrocław, and two smaller ones in Kraków and Bydgoszcz. The Global Service Center is located in Warsaw, serving the company’s clients around the world.
As Rafał Niewiadomski, director of the District Labor Office in Wrocław, told Bankier.pl, group layoffs at Nokia were officially reported last Monday.
– The company intends to lay off a total of over 700 people in Polish branches – says Rafał Niewiadomski. – However, there is no exact information yet when this will happen. I think that laid-off people should have no problem finding a job. Although we do not have offers for IT specialists ourselves, there is no shortage of them on the market.
Unofficially: 830 people will lose their jobs
One of the people employed at Nokia in Wrocław unofficially told Bankier.pl that a week after announcing the intention to lay off the entire company, on October 24, employees received an internal e-mail informing about plans to lay off 830 people in the company’s Polish branches.
-– We have received little information about this so far. Nokia usually announces changes simultaneously in all countries. More will be known after the New Year, says a person employed in the Wrocław branch of the company.
In turn, another employee of the same branch of the company anonymously informed Bankier.pl that after the first information about layoffs in Nokia’s Polish locations, the mood among the crew members was not the best.
– At first, everyone was apprehensive. They only saw the number of people to be dismissed given in the email. Now they are used to this idea – says an employee of the company’s Wrocław branch. – However, I think that after dismissal it may be difficult to find a new job. Certainly much harder than last year. There is a significant difference when it comes to the quantity and quality of offers.
Nokia does not intend to leave Poland
As Taras Lukaniuk, director of the Technology Center in Wrocław, assured Bankier.pl, the company intends to stay and continue to operate in Poland.
– Layoffs are planned in many countries and Poland, unfortunately, is no exception – says Taras Lukaniuk. – Although we will not avoid restructuring, there are many indications that as many people will not be dismissed as has been announced so far. We will continue to be the largest R&D center in Poland.
