Thread regarding Dell Inc. layoffs

Who knows but, does it really even matter at this point? Dell has been on a layoff frenzy for 6 years now and for whatever reason, it slowed down this year but... Layoffs are layoffs regradless of the goal.

When I started in 2020 I think the headcount was like 158k? Then they sold off VMWare and that number dropped to the 130's at some point. As of Jan 2026 we are at 97k headcount.

Originally it was supposed to be to get under 100k. Which has been done now. Then it became 90k at some point, and last I heard it's 85k now...

Which IMPO, I feel like they are going to use full remotes as a scapegoat to let a LOT of people go, along with those who aren't adhering to the RTO policy but, my guess is they will begin to target the full remotes pretty hard - likely those making too much money, 55+, or those under an i9 first. Then will move on to those onsite ppl who aren't going in, then the ones who aren't meeting the minimum threshold of onsite visits.

So does that mean if we hit 200/share, we will stop the layoffs? I ask in jest, as I am sure they will move the goalpost to say - if we lay off to 80K, the stocks can hit 300/share!!!

Actual headcount goal is now 46k.

@ab Yes 8k hires in a certain region of Asia while laying off tens of thousands in America and Europe.

@ab we are already at 97,000 employees as of January 31st, 2026. The fluctuation is higher than the hiring figure anyway.

Originally came from The Register. A source indicated that Dell hired Bain to analyze their expenses and earnings and determined that since Dell is a $100b a year company that they should have 100k employees. At its height, Dell had ~144k employees as Dell didn't do major layoffs following the EMC merger like many companies do.

FY2024 reported $88b in revenue and most are assuming that since $100b means 100k employees that $88b means 88k employees. FY2025 however was $95b, so who knows where things are going from here.

Enough leaders have corroborated the original Bain statement, leaders aren't communicating a light at the end of the tunnel, and Dell continues to make unpopular decisions while je-king around the their entire company's workforce by a chain. If covid was Dell's first foray into WFH, I would chalk up the 6 WFH/RTO changes in a year and a complete lack of transparency as incompetence, but this is all stuff they know how to manage, which suggests they want the workplace hostile and morale low so people will leave.

Current 10-K SEC filings for Dell as of March 25, 2025 shows the employee count at 108,000 as of January 31st 2025. Go look it up. That is all we've got to go on. 75K, 85K etc etc etc comes out of people's imagination.

As for next year's employee headcount and direction, who knows.

I think Covid showed that people can work from home. It's not perfect but for the purposes of Dell, it's OK. If that is the case, they can move your job offshore. Nevermind the RTO. They'll do it. It's already happening and has been happening for years. I speculate that they will accelerate that process.

Anyone director and above knows this. Anyone in HR knows this. Most mid level managers are aware. It's been announced in calls multiple times as a reason for the ongoing layoffs. It has been out there for a while, it was 100k, then 90 and now it's at 80.

When we were at 120k the goal was under 100k.... it's can never be enoughhhhhhhh. Cut everyone till we only have a roboworkforce!

Current headcount is 105k. The sweet spot is 90k.

If you know anyone in HR, this has been an “open” secret for nearly 2 years. Dell is a clumsy juggernaut, it don’t do anything quickly.

One of the ISG managers that was recently let go told me that after the tariffs were announced the gial was changed to 75k

It's just myth. We hired 8000 new people last year, so the theory its purely about reduction doesn't hold water.

Wait and see

Bain is the source.

80K headcount presented to ELT to meet the appropriate VPE (Value Per Employee) required for DELL to hit $200 share price target.

In other words - they shook the magic 8 Ball and came up with a number (or perhaps they shot an 8 ball and came to the same target)