Bell says reported pre-holiday layoffs are a ‘continuation’ of earlier restructuring

Bell employees took to social media to share concerns about pre-holiday layoffs, though Bell says the changes are a “continuation” of the restructuring it announced earlier this year.

Several people claiming to be Bell employees shared in posts on Reddit that layoffs were happening ahead of the holiday season. One person wrote that Bell was laying off a large number of people from the “corporate side.” Another user said that Bell has pinned letters at primary office sites advising several “management employees” and business units will be impacted.

One Redditor shared that they know several people in marketing and customer operations positions who were let go, and another said even HR was impacted.

In a statement to MobileSyrup, Bell said:

“The changes to our team structure are a continuation of the overall restructuring that BCE announced earlier this year and there are no changes to the total number of impacted positions announced at that time. Like most organizations, in this ever-changing market, we regularly assess and make necessary changes to better align resources with long-term growth strategies and revenue expectations.”

2024 has been a rough year for Bell employees as the company has had multiple layoffs. In February, the company announced plans to cut 4,800 jobs. The layoffs also impacted journalists and the company selling 45 radio stations. The move sparked criticism from politicians, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling it a “garbage decision.”

Bell also set up a deal with The Source and Best Buy, which saw several stores rebranded as Best Buy Express. As part of that, Bell shuttered The Source headquarters and laid off employees.

In September, reports emerged of more Bell layoffs, potentially impacting hundreds of employees with Bell subsidiary Expertech, which installs network equipment. At the time, reports pointed to layoffs coming before the holidays. One Reddit user who posted in the recent thread about Bell layoffs claimed they worked for Expertech.

The news of holiday layoffs comes after Bell announced it was acquiring U.S. fibre provider Ziply Fiber for $7 billion. Analysts called the move “perplexing,” and Bell’s stock dipped following the announcement.