Faced with 'surplus' employees, FMCG major Hindustan Unilever on Monday said it has cut about 50 managerial jobs, months after its parent Unilever announced 20,000 reduction in global workforce over the next four years.
HUL, which has over 1,100 managers, said some of the 'surplus' managers have been "gainfully redeployed through the ongoing process of job progression, job rotation and redeployment in suitable positions available through natural attrition", without specifying the exact number. "The changing business requirements has resulted in certain managerial positions becoming surplus...In the case of about 50 managerial positions, the transition is being managed through suitable outplacement and compensation," the company said in a statement.
Commenting on the reason behind the job cut, the company said: "The underlying objective was to ensure that right talent was handling the right jobs, which in turn ensures challenging and enriching jobs that allow for long-term growth opportunities to the employees."
It, however, reiterated the company was also recruiting talent in new emerging areas in line with the emerging market opportunities and attendant business priorities.
"HUL is well known for its talent pool and as a source of leadership talent. We have always ring fenced our top talent by providing them challenging jobs and commensurate rewards. Our non-compromising approach in promoting top talent and ensuring challenging jobs has established the company today globally as a source of leadership talent, both for Unilever globally and the industry in general," it said.
The Anglo-Dutch maker of brands like Surf, Lipton, Dove soap, Vaseline and Knorr soup had announced 11 per cent cut in its workforce globally amounting to 20,000 jobs over the next for years. However, it had mentioned at that time that majority of restructuring would be done in Europe and the company's Indian operations will not be impacted by the decision.
