Officeworks is shifting hundreds of jobs from its Sydney and Melbourne offices to India and the Philippines is sparking a reaction across Australia. It’s a big call, part of a $15 million cost-cutting overhaul, coming after the company’s less-than-stellar half-yearly results.
Officeworks says this global move will help them tap into more skilled workers overseas. The plan is to move customer service call centre jobs from Western Sydney to Manila. Other office roles in Melbourne and Sydney are also set to head to Bengaluru, India, in the next few months.
Even with these changes, Officeworks insists most of its in-store customer service jobs will stay in Australia. Over in Bengaluru, India, Officeworks is already hiring for about 50 new positions at what they’re calling a ‘global capacity centre,’ covering everything from sales to tech and data analysis.
Unsurprisingly, the announcement has ruffled some feathers. Many customers are openly unhappy, with some even threatening to boycott the store. This isn’t just an Officeworks thing, though; it’s part of a wider trend where companies are looking overseas to cut costs and find talent.