Illustratory image. (source: SME - Jozef Jakubčo)
The IBM International Services Centre in Bratislava is to lay off hundreds of staff, reports the Index magazine.
According to Index, the mass layoffs were indirectly confirmed by the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family. Although its spokeswoman Marianna Šebová did not mention the company itself, she did say that 439 jobs in the business consulting activities sector were at risk.
They have also been confirmed to Index independently by several IBM employees.
Speaking under the condition of anonymity, one said: "A month ago I was called to an important one-on-one meeting, so I mentally prepared myself. My fears were realised. I was informed that I would be laid off as of May 31."
The person added that a few people from each team in the company was being laid off and put the job cuts down to company plans to save money, which are also likely to include cutting some projects or moving them to cheaper countries.
Employees also said the reasons for the layoffs has not been sufficiently explained.
However, it is understood that IBM offered the dismissed employees generous severance pay offers worth at least 5 basic monthly salaries plus an additional monthly salary for every five years spent at the company. In other words, someone who worked at IBM for 10 years could get a pay off equivalent to 7 salaries.
The company did not answer respond to questions from Index.
The news comes after IBM laid off 188 people last autumn.
Currently, IBM has a workforce of around 3,000 in Slovakia.
IBM's American headquarters announced at the beginning of 2023 it would stop employing thousands in positions that can instead be filled using artificial intelligence (AI).
