Volkswagen, a major European automaker, announced plans to cut an additional 50,000 jobs by 2030. BMW subsequently announced cuts of up to approximately 8,000 jobs, while Porsche disclosed cuts of approximately 9,000, pointing to large-scale restructuring across the group.
The successive workforce reductions at European automakers are driven by the consolidation of EV strategies and changes in market conditions. Volkswagen has disclosed plans to cut an additional 50,000 jobs by 2030 and has also been carrying out reductions in its domestic operations since 2024. As a result, the group-wide total is expected to reach approximately 100,000, or about 15% of all employees.
Meanwhile, large European automakers continue to pursue large-scale restructuring, with BMW announcing cuts of up to approximately 8,000 jobs and Porsche approximately 9,000. These moves are attributed to changes in the competitive environment and the restructuring of business operations, suggesting that strategic reviews of workforce allocation are under way.
Against the risks of this approach of "focus and concentration," the article explains the importance of a "multi-path" HR strategy that pursues multiple courses of action in parallel as a management and organisational approach suited to an uncertain era. It considers whether the same perspective can be applied to Japanese companies.
In human resources and labour management, the focus is on how to implement the multi-path approach in practical terms. The article discusses organisational restructuring and workforce allocation, including multi-path initiatives, and introduces information on related materials and services.