The company’s global headcount stood at 779,273 at the end of August 2025, down from 790,692 in May and 801,099 in February.
That means about 21,800 roles have been eliminated over the past two quarters, 11,419 between May and August, and 10,407 in the prior quarter, data on its website showed.
Artificial intelligence investments
Accenture signaled the layoffs are part of a talent rotation strategy to align with its AI push.
Over 550,000 employees have already been trained in Gen AI while roles that cannot be reskilled are being exited, according to the firm.
What management said
During its latest quarterly earnings call, chief financial officer Angie Park explained:
“The business optimization program has two parts. One related to rapid talent rotation that Julie mentioned, which reflects severance associated with headcount reductions that we are making in a compressed timeline, and second, related to the divestiture of two acquisitions that are no longer aligned with our strategic priorities,” she said.
“These actions will result in cost-savings, which will be reinvested in our people and our business,” she added.
Focus on upskilling
The reductions are part of a six-month business optimization program expected to cost $865 million but generate more than $1 billion in savings.
“We are investing in upskilling our reinventors, which is our primary strategy. We are exiting on a compressed timeline, people where reskilling, based on our experience, is not a viable path for the skills we need,” said Accenture CEO Julie Sweet during the same call.
More jobs in 2026
Despite the layoffs, Accenture said it expects overall headcount to grow in fiscal 2026 across the United States, Europe, and Asia, reflecting strong demand for digital transformation and AI-driven services.
Accenture has offices in the Philippines and employs over 50,000 workers.
—Edited by Miguel R. Camus
