Leverkusen, Germany-based Bayer, a multinational conglomerate specializing in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, agricultural chemicals, and consumer healthcare products, has announced a major reduction in force since introducing its new "Dynamic Shared Ownership" operating model designed to “reduce hierarchies, eliminate bureaucracy, streamline structures and accelerate decision-making processes.”
The company had disclosed it made 1,500 job cuts in Q1, the first three months of 2024, with two-thirds being management roles. The company's has been reduced from fourteen positions to eight positions.
Additional layoffs are expected with "layoffs to be completed by the end of 2025 at the latest. We are adjusting our U.S. structure resulting in some positions being eliminated or redesigned, and a few new roles being created.”
CEO Bill Anderson noted, “Our senior leadership circle is already considerably smaller than it was a year ago. We’re consolidating roles, designing teams for more impact, and taking out layers. We’ve said from the beginning, our focus really isn’t on a head count number. Our focus is really relentless on making sure that every job in the company is oriented around the mission. That’s one of the reasons this is very different from a typical restructuring exercise, where the management decides what’s the number and then just sort of dispenses targets. We haven’t done that, and we’re not going to do that. People are just amazed at how much more they can get done when they have the authority with their colleagues to make the decisions and move.”
Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?
