Apple has eliminated dozens of sales roles across its enterprise, education, and government divisions in an uncommon round of job cuts that left many employees blindsided. Apple announced on Monday that it is reducing positions within its sales teams to enhance customer engagement.
The company is revamping its institutional sales strategy, with some staff interpreting the changes as a pivot toward relying more on third-party resellers instead of direct sales.
According to Bloomberg News, which initially reported the story, the affected employees consist of account managers who work with large corporations, educational institutions, and government bodies.
Additionally, account managers handling major enterprises and personnel at Apple's briefing centers, where the company showcases products to potential institutional clients, were also laid off. Some of the impacted employees had been with Apple for two to three decades.
The timing caught many employees off guard, especially as Apple approaches a potentially record-setting quarter with expected December sales nearing $140 billion. Apple officially refers to the layoffs as a move to streamline operations by removing redundant roles.
The largest cuts affected a government sales division responsible for managing accounts with the Departments of Defense and Justice. The team had already been facing setbacks due to the 43-day government shutdown and budget cuts imposed by the Department of Government Efficiency. The latest layoffs now underscore the mounting challenges facing Apple’s government-focused operations.