- Salesforce, a cloud-based software solutions provider, has trimmed its workforce, affecting up to 300 employees this month, July 2024.
- The cut is reportedly part of its broader effort to streamline operations, optimise its structure, and drive growth. However, the company did not specify the jobs or regions affected.
- Per a spokesperson, Salesforce continuously assesses its structure to determine if it’s best serving customers and supporting growth areas. “In some cases, that leads to roles being eliminated,” they added.
This global cut comes after Salesforce, in February 2024, mentioned that the company continues to see significant growth in Africa, particularly in South Africa and Morocco, highlighting massive returns on investments in these regions as interest in AI increases.
The company is also driving its expansion goals in Africa through strategic partnerships with firms like Amazon's cloud marketplace. It has extended its coverage beyond South Africa and Morocco through partnerships and direct engagement with companies like MTN, Vodacom, and Standard Bank.
“By keeping an eye out for potential opportunities, Salesforce remains dedicated to expanding its footprint in the region and delivering innovative solutions to meet the growing demands of customers.”
The company’s workforce stood at 72,682 at the end of January 2024, but earlier this year, Salesforce cut about 700 workers and, before that, laid off 10% of its total workforce at the start of 2023.
At a conference, Salesforce’s Chief Operating Officer, Brian Millham, said, “Are we getting the most from everybody in the business? If we’re not, we’re going to have to make reshaping decisions.”
While layoffs in H1 2024 reduced compared to 2023, Salesforce is not the only global tech giant slashing its headcount. The Microsoft Africa Development Center (ADC) in Lagos, Nigeria, focused on engineering and innovation also laid off employees, though it did not affect the operations of Microsoft Nigeria.
Besides, Microsoft Kenya laid off several employees in 2023 at its Africa Development Centre in Nairobi, impacting at least 20 employees.
In the past year, other notable tech giants, including Amazon and Meta, have been in the realms of layoffs.
