Accenture rehires 100 laid-off workers

MANILA, Philippines - US-based outsourcing firm Accenture has rehired close to 100 of the 500 people it laid off early this year due to the effects of the global financial crisis.

In a press conference, Accenture country manager Beth G. Lui said the company is starting to recover and is now doing better compared to previous months. “We have started to hire and rehire (laid off workers),” Lui told reporters yesterday.

In January, Accenture laid off almost half of its work force in Manila because of the worldwide slowdown in global demand.

Accenture, which engages in business process outsourcing, including call centers, had about a thousand workers in Manila. In March 2008 it opened an office in Cebu which employs about 500 people.

The major reason for the lay off is to cut costs in the face of a slumping economy and decline in demand, Accenture earlier said, adding that said the reduction applies only to certain excess skill sets within its outsourced technology services unit.

The company said it continues to recruit in the Philippines for other skills to meet client demand.

Accenture has been operating in the Philippines for more than 20 years now and has increased its workforce in the last few years due to the outsourcing boom.

The Philippines has the third-largest headcount in Accenture’s global network, next to the US and India.

The company operates eight delivery centers locally, its most recently established site being located in Cebu City. Lui said the move to Cebu is in line with the company’s objective to find another source of talent.

“Cebu and the Visayas region provide the combined strengths of a skilled workforce and business-friendly environment,” Lui said.

The Accenture’s back room operation is expected to provide the highest value added when compared to other BPO services like data and voice BPO.

The Cebu branch of Accenture will provide software development services. Information technology outsourcing is at the top of the chain of BPO services because it is highly technical.

 The Cebu facility provides application management, systems development and other services to clients on an outsourced basis. It will also initially service clients from different industries.