Nokia Plans Significant Workforce Reductions Amid Global Restructuring

Nokia is set to lay off 20% of its global workforce, translating to over 14,000 jobs, as part of a major restructuring initiative. This decision will also affect its operations in India, where the company has seen a slight increase in employee numbers recently. The layoffs come amid declining sales and a shift in leadership, with new appointments aimed at navigating the company's future. As Nokia simplifies its structure into two main segments, the impact of these changes raises questions about the company's performance in a challenging market.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 27, 2026, 21:06 IST

Nokia's Upcoming Layoffs

Nokia is preparing to implement substantial layoffs, aiming to decrease its global workforce by 20%. This reduction will affect approximately 14,000 positions out of a total of 74,000 employees worldwide. The layoffs are expected to extend to Nokia's operations in India, which currently employs over 17,000 individuals, as reported by Moneycontrol. This move is part of a broader restructuring initiative.

Recently, Nokia appointed Samar Mittal as the country business leader for India and Vibha Mehra as the country manager, marking a shift in its leadership strategy. These appointments will take effect on April 1, 2026.

In November 2025, CEO Justin Hotard announced a significant organizational restructuring set to begin in 2026, which will streamline the company into two main divisions: Network Infrastructure and Mobile Infrastructure.

Nokia's workforce has been on a downward trend for several years. In 2018, the company had around 103,000 employees, but this number fell to 75,600 by the end of 2024. In 2025, the company reduced its workforce by about 1,500, concluding the year with roughly 74,100 employees, according to its annual report.

In India, the number of permanent employees saw a slight increase to 17,708 in 2025, up from 17,270 in 2024, although it was higher in 2023 at 18,200. The layoffs come at a challenging time for Nokia, as the company reported a 15% decline in net sales year-on-year, totaling Rs 4,324.96 crore in the fourth quarter of 2025. Reports indicate that the merger of Cloud and Network Services with Mobile Networks in 2023 has led to overlapping roles, which may now be subject to cuts.