Accenture promotes 50,000 staff in morale boost after tough year
DUBLIN, IRELAND — Accenture is set to promote as many as 50,000 international employees in June 2025 following a six-month delay caused by slumping demand for consulting services.
The move, which covers 6% of its 801,000-strong workforce, comes as the Ireland-based tech giant seeks to rebuild morale after 19,000 job cuts in 2023 and economic headwinds.
Global promotions to stabilize workforce after turbulent period
Included in the promotions are 15,000 employees in India, 11,000 in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), and 10,000 in North and South America.
It came after Accenture put off promotions scheduled for December 2024 but only moved them up to June 2025 following a drop in profit and uncertainty in the market.
“We are also seeing an elevated level of uncertainty in the global economic and geopolitical environment,” stated Accenture in their memos.
While the company has not officially commented, the move signals an attempt to retain talent after last year’s layoffs and a pullback in client spending.
Employees in India will see salary hikes of 3-13% for managerial roles, marking the first raise in 2.5 years, as reported by Moneycontrol. Ajay Vij, Accenture’s India head, stated that most staff will receive pay adjustments or promotions by fiscal year 2025.
“This cycle, we will have stay-at-level (base pay) increases, including many of those not covered in the December cycle and others in key growth areas. The majority of Accenture’s workforce in India will have received a base pay increase by the end of FY25, either through promotions or stay-at-level adjustments,” said Vij in his memo.
Economic and political pressures reshape corporate strategy
The promotions come amid geopolitical tensions and reduced United States government contracts under the Trump administration, which has also pressured firms to abandon diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) targets.
Accenture, having abandoned its DEI goals in response, must delicately balance cost management with employee retention in a volatile market.
Despite these challenges, the company is selectively investing in core growth areas, with bonuses and performance equity decisions deferred to December.
This move indicates a cautious approach—rewarding key talent while navigating consulting demand fluctuations. The delayed promotions, however, highlight the ongoing strain in the tech services sector, where client budgets remain tight.
