I have been reliably informed by my bother's girlfriend that ACN in the UK are making 2,000 job cuts over the next 3 months. Apparently partners are negotiating exit packages at Old Bailey and Fenchurch St (?) as we speak. An announcement in today's press is imminent.Seems like heads will roll in a big shake up of the company's resources.

Whoops I meant brother no bother.

how many are there in Acn UK?what parts of business impacted?

not sure about the validity of the above claim...but i believe acn is 12k big in the UK

Hmmm... This is the first that I've heard (I'm ACN London Based)... I was under the impression that things are going okay at the moment.Can you say in which areas these rumours are focussed (MCIM, SI&T etc)?Anonoman

All I will say is that my brother's girlfriend works in HR. She said something about Solutions and Sight(?)

I have just been made a redundancy offer. What I do not understand is why they are axing us. We are the only real techies and it is not like we are that well paid.Oh well, adios amigos.

work at ACN have heard about the cut backs too, lots of solutions and some SITE. Solutions go because not seen as high value, except maybe on fixed price contracts, to be honest wouldnt mind a package right now, just been offered a new job.

Solutions and SITE... that doesn't suprise me actually... I've never understood the value of Solutions over the offshore resources.Can anyone shed any light on what terms the redundancies are being offered?Anonoman

have heard 2 sources as having been given 6months

Is there going to be any shake up of the consulting workforce apart from SITE?Ordinarily I'd have jumped at a 6 month pay out to leave but right now I would not want to be job hunting.

The dream is over - just got my offer.

Nothing on the news/internet.Time to call HR rep

M2 - Products: how do they tell you? Give you a ring, tap you on the shoulder, stop you at the door in the morning?Or were you talking rubbish?

Roger - they have a frank and honest discussion with you. It is humbling because you want to stay but you know they will not let you and you can not beg. You find yourself agreeing with them and they use a term like 'generous exit package'.You are asked to not to discuss it with others and again you find yourself agreeing. It is embarassing and at the same time liberating. I will not reveal myself for now, not before the cheque is cashed.Keep your eyes open because there will be a few leaving drinks.

Sorry to hear about the redundancies. Do you know if any redundancies in strategy are also expected?

I was approached this week by a group who are negotiating redundancy from Strategy and looking to take as many people with them as possible. It's not a voluntary redundancy programme from what I can tell.I'm assuming the firm won't break the news until people are out of the door.

So what're you going to do - take the whole team to a competitor, start a new firm? Are you open for applications :p (no seriously, are you?)

It must be a new startup. There's no way you can move a whole team in this market. I've done it as a headhunter and it requires a huge amount of confidence on the part of the firm taking on the team that the market will take up the supply and that they're getting a consistently high quality batch of goods. The market is not in a state to inspire that confidence and, no offence to Accenture, but if you're looking at involuntary redundancy it's likely the rainmakers won't be in the group.

Just to be clear, I declined to be poached - not planning on getting caught up in the legal sh*tstorm when that kicks off. The plan was to find a competitor to take the whole team. Go figure.

So, is there any evidence for this or still just rumour? Have there been any announcements?

No press announcements so far but it would seem like there are some redundancies deals being done. My plan is to sit this one out. Usually there is a consultation period so no one should get too worried. It may be several weeks before Accenture go public with this. The timing of such an announcement can be critical.I suspect the original poster was just passing on what they had heard on the grapevine i.e. that an announcement will be made.

I call BS on original post. Already known that Solns and Strats have had redundancies in last 1-2 months. However, a cut of 3k our of 12k staff in UK is definately not about to happen. Messages I have seen coming from leadership are contrary to any redundancies - let along large scale ones - happening in consulting workforce in near future. And yes, of course counselling-out will be taking place at an individual level.

Any cuts in the newly formwd global process & innovation performance service ? They have been advertising for lean six sigma in operations consultanmts.

I agree with previous post. BS! Usual triming of staff based on past performances. Nothing major/different going on here......Move on.....

I agree with previous post. BS! Usual triming of staff based on past performances. Nothing major/different going on here......Move on.....

I agree with previous post. BS! Usual triming of staff based on past performances. Nothing major/different going on here......Move on.....

I agree with previous post. BS! Usual triming of staff based on past performances. Nothing major/different going on here......Move on.....

we get the hint

The way you find out about (at least for the Mgt Consulting part) it is that they call you in the morning and ask you to pop around for an unspecified meeting in the Queen Victoria Street office ASAP.If you get this call make sure to pick up a portable hard drive on the way and copy whatever files you want to keep as sometimes they ask you to hand in the laptop straight away.They will offer you some free legal advice, which is not resulting in anything, as there is nothing you can do - especially not if we have stopped the recruiting.

That last message does add credibility to the rumour. That sounds exactly how I would imagine it would happen. QVS makes more sense than OB and FS for obvious reasons.

What's the package? Do analysts even get 6 months pay?

It does nothing to add credibility to the rumour. It simply supports the fact (and this has nothing rumorous about it) that ACN are counselling people out. Has nothing to do with redundancies as such.

Wouldn't it be nice to land a new job and then get counselled out on some nice exit package mmmmm

Guys,any tips to be offerred voluntary redundancy at accenture?

yea...get yourself on the bench and stay there.

Will they in that case offer "voluntary redundancy" as opposed to a "performance based layoff"?

not sure to be honest...but i know someone who did it (3-4months approx on the bench) and in this persons case it was 'involuntary'.

I'm not sure if there's much more going outwith the normal performance management layoffs but I know for a fact graduate recruiting isn't going to be down that much over the next year.

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/itmanagement/0,1000000308,39498924,00.htmNo do you believe me? There have been several developments since my original post. Lets just say this is only the beginning. I used to think that my brother's girlfriend (code name Emily) had such a boring job. Apparently, Accenture see one other major risk in the near future and are acting now to reduce possible impact. 1 - Reduction in Government business either by Gordon cutting back or David taking leadershipAs such, Accenture must streamline and 4% is not streamlining. Emily did mention other groups that are due for the chop but I cannot remember all the acronyms. If I remember them I will post.

Over the Christmas season, I have attended a number of parties with my brother and his girlfriend. As Emily works in HR for a consultancy you can imagine that I have been meeting lots of consultants in particular HR folk. Now the interesting thing is there is another Big 4 consultancy that is going to offer redundancies fairly soon. This is an easy prediction to make given the market conditions but I do know the name of the consultancy and the number of redundacies they want.The package is so generous it makes me wish I was in consulting right now.

Could this be Deloitte? Arn't they the only big 4 with a large HR department?

Anyone know if ACN will have more cuts this year? First day back and now regretting not taking the VR last yr!

so many seem so suprised here! it was already known among shareholdersthat accenture cuts 20% of its 10 000 work force in the uk.-office space is getting cheaper in london then :)

you saying they will cut 20% this year? which quarter?

My original post was in Sept 08 and it stated that Accenture would cut circa 2000 over three months. What I did not know was that the job cuts would be a combination of VR, CR and attrition.So if you are going on my info. I would expect ACN to be getting rid of dead wood forcing out their non performers (if they have not taken VR already).From my dinner party chats:E&Y could be in troubleKPMG, PWC and Deloitte are all in a good position to profit from the credit crunch and will quietly use the situation to remove non performers in senior management positions. The Technology and Operational sides are the better sides of consulting to be in than Strategy or any other.

Yes EY have a bit of a liquidity issue, I think they have 9 weeks, which if they operate at current levels is ok. However if their clients take a tumble they will rapidly start to bleed cash. Taking this on board means that redundancies need to be examined now, rather than when there is no money to make anyone redundant.However if/should the economy pick up in the next eight weeks then they may actually be looking to recruit. These are the pros and cons of tight margins.

Economy picking up in the next eight weeks UNLIKELY never so EY should get ready.Without a doubt ACN will remove headcount sometime in June...performers and non it does not matter as long as the market stays this way or gets worst...Large tranformations are going away...ops strategy works no longer coming in lots of discussions but no work coming through...just business as usual type of work helping clients arrange meetings and acting as scribes damn

none of the facts behind this VR are particularly suprising? It wouldn't suprise me if all companies have some plans in place - no one knows what the ecnomy will do - so they will all have VR/CR plans discussed - waiting to press the button. Most of the big 4 will have some exposure - ACN made the first move on cuts - I am sure others will follow at varying scales. - Removing of deadwood is vital and should be expected in these times. If they are not chargable now ... usually these people are not chargable at such times as these. If given the chance such an approach should be applied even when times are good...If one follows the view the economy will start to improve in 2010 then given the packages (4-6 month pay) it wouldn't makes sense to keep people for when the economy starts to improve, to start paying joining bonus etc. I wouldn't be suprised if in the next 2-3 months other big 4 companies may be trimming their headcountRegarding ACN - they have strong cash balance in comparison to other consultancy companies which will be a help.. those who don't have this may not have the option to avoid VR/CR as they won't be keen risk picking up the tab if economy doesn't improve in 2010

Have also heard that EY's advisory businesses (both FS and BAS) are in trouble. Pay rises were very very poor in the Autumn, and utilisation is low and falling.Expect some blood on the carpet