Job ads will mostly disappear. Senior positions will be T3 and T4 only because they refuse to eliminate any T5 roles. Executives across the board mainly just listen to the executive board without doing much work themselves. The actual work is handled by the T5 and T4 beneath them. Right now, the talk is that the cuts will mainly target T1 and T2 roles to significantly reduce numbers. The idea is that T4 and T3 can take over those jobs with the help of Claude AI. They’re also planning to cut several T3 and T4 positions. These will be replaced by key resources like HR, who are shifting to become development managers. A new position called "SAP AI Architects" will be introduced. This role is similar to other architect positions but is designed to assist HRs in adapting to their new responsibilities since they lack technical expertise. However, some other architect roles will be eliminated. Product Owner and Product Manager roles will also be eliminated under the name of HPOM efficiency. Much of this has been discussed for months now and this seems like this is pretty much the final version.
Performance Management will be we-ponized against anyone who voices too many complaints. It will also serve to keep everyone’s loyalty in check. In 2026 and 2027, benefits and salary budgets are set to be slashed even more to boost share buybacks. And of course to give more bonuses to the executive board and executives in all areas. Unfiltered surveys will be above 70% for trust in the board regardless of how employees vote in 2026.
It’s crucial for employees to grasp where things went wrong. The supervisory board elected two years ago has been quite anti-employee and pro-layoffs. They’ve actively worked to increase bonuses for the executive board while cutting salary budgets and benefits for regular employees. The new Works Council is mostly made up of the same people as before. Sadly, they seem more focused on securing a good layoff deal for themselves and then leaving. This pattern happened four years ago when half the Works Council left and it is repeating itself now. The answer is to elect pro-employee, anti-layoff candidates to both the Works Council and the Executive board. These candidates should hold the executive board accountable for SAP's strategy. And honestly, executives in most areas should be laid off. A majority of them are millionaires already and are only here to drain as many Euros as possible from SAP into their own pockets. T5s who have been with SAP for a long time are pretty much useless as they are disconnected from reality and only interested in building their "empires".
Ask your representatives after the announcement why they failed you.