by Voluntary layoffs at Volkswagen
Six months ago, Volkswagen announced plans to cut over 35,000 jobs by 2030. Currently, 20,000 employees have already voluntarily agreed to leave the company. This indicates that many workers do not want to wait for potential forced layoffs.
Gunnar Kilian, Volkswagen’s head of human resources, confirmed that these layoffs are occurring through early retirement programs and severance packages. He noted:
“The first measures of the ‘Future Volkswagen’ agreement are already taking effect, and we are on track. Socially acceptable reductions at six German plants are accelerating our transformation.”
Changes in production
The company plans to reduce production capacity in Germany by 734,000 vehicles annually. To achieve this:
CFO David Powels emphasized that the company still has much to do to achieve competitiveness by 2029. Management will also begin to feel changes—salaries and bonuses for board members will gradually decrease, saving approximately €15 million.
These measures are taking place against the backdrop of a global transformation in the automotive industry, where traditional manufacturers face the need to adapt to the electric vehicle revolution and shifting demand. Volkswagen is attempting to strike a balance between efficiency and social responsibility by offering employees fair conditions for voluntary transitions.
