Australian telecommunications major Telstra has announced plans to cut more than 650 jobs as part of a fresh round of restructuring, with a portion of the work set to be outsourced to Indian IT services firm Infosys.
Employees were informed of the decision through internal communications from Telstra Chief Executive Officer Vicki Brady, according to a report by ABC News. The emails also flagged the possibility of more than 400 additional roles being affected in the coming months.
The latest cuts form part of Telstraâs five-year business roadmap, titled Connected Future 30, which focuses on simplifying operations, improving competitiveness, and expanding the use of artificial intelligence across the company.
âThese proposals are intended to help us reduce complexity, be more competitive and operate more efficiently and sustainably,â Brady wrote to employees, as cited by ABC News.
Outsourcing to Infosys, redundancy option offered
As part of the plan, Telstra has given affected employees two choices. Staff can submit an Expression of Interest to move into roles with Infosys, subject to a joint assessment by both companies. Those who do not apply, or are not selected, will enter Telstraâs redundancy process.
The outsourcing move follows earlier workforce reductions announced by Telstra. In a previous phase, the company confirmed that 209 positions would be cut from its artificial intelligence joint venture with Accenture.
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Brady acknowledged the impact of the decision on staff, telling employees that the changes were necessary to maintain momentum under the Connected Future 30 strategy and to position the company for long-term sustainability.
Telstra has said that affected workers will also be able to apply for other open roles within the company, while staff linked to the Accenture joint venture may seek opportunities either at Telstra or Accenture.
