Entertainment giant Disney, which announced in February it will lay off as many as 7,000 employees, will do so in three rounds, according to an internal email sent by CEO Bob Iger that got leaked, with the second phase, scheduled for April, set to be ‘larger’ than the other two.
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This week, the company will begin notifying workers who are impacted in the first stage, and the final round of notifications is likely to commence before the beginning of the summer, as per the email, which was sent on March 27.
“This week, we begin notifying employees whose positions are impacted by the company’s workforce reductions. Leaders will be communicating the news directly to the first group of impacted employees over the next four days,” wrote Iger.
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And then came the ominous bit. “A second, larger round of notifications will happen in April with several thousand more staff reductions, and we expect to commence the final round of notifications before the beginning of the summer to reach our 7,000-job target,” noted the executive, who returned as CEO in November last year after vacating the position in Feb 2020.
‘For those not affected…’
Staff members not affected were warned by the 72-year-old that the organisation will, ‘no doubt,’ face challenges ahead. “I ask you for your continued understanding and collaboration during this time,” he appealed.
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‘Strategic realignment’
In the beginning of the email, Iger said Disney’s decision to lay off workers, was ‘part of a strategic realignment’ of the Burbank-based entertainment firm. The realignment, he stated, also includes important cost-saving measures to create a more effective, coordinated, and streamlined approach to its business.
