HP confirms 7,000 EMEA job cuts

Vendor claims staff will either leave the firm or be redeployed

Some 7,095 HP staff across EMEA are set to be let go or redeployed in new roles as the vendor continues its turnaround plan.

HP said in a statement that the plans would vary from country to country based on its local needs, but gave no timeframe for when the axe would fall.

"Under the proposal presented to the European Works Council (EWC), HP expects approximately 7,095 employees to exit the company or to be redeployed into new roles that better fit the future needs of the company and its customers," it said.

"Workforce reduction plans will vary by country, based on local legal requirements and consultation with works councils and employee representatives, as appropriate."

HP insisted that customers will still receive the same level of service in light of the announcement, and said it forms part of its existing organisational restructure.

Last May, HP first announced plans to significantly reduce its workforce and aimed to cut 15 per cent of its headcount – 29,000 staff – in order to save the company $3bn (£1.9bn). Later on last year it announced plans to trim off 11,500 of those by the end of its fiscal 2012.

Earlier this month, HP chief executive Meg Whitman said her five-year turnaround plan was well under way, despite just last year being "dangerously behind" on its plans.