Cognizant is in the business of helping companies automate their operations, a process which can lead to job cuts and/or create opportunities for new kinds of work. Now Cognizant itself is reportedly cutting jobs as some IT work previously done by humans is performed by software.
Indian news sources have been reporting on Cognizant layoffs for several months, and more recently have noted that the company is hiring aggressively in the United States. Indian workers who are losing their jobs are reportedly blaming U.S. President Donald Trump, saying that the president is pushing U.S. companies to hire in America and making it harder from them to employ workers outside the U.S.
Cognizant says it is adding to its U.S. headcount because its U.S.-based clients want professionals who can work with them onsite. The company said it hired 4,000 people in the U.S. last year and continues to hire more this year.
Meanwhile Cognizant says it is reducing its need for HB1 visas, and according to news sources in India, the firm is slashing jobs there. Up to 6,000 people are being let go, according to some reports. An estimated 72% of Cognizant’s 2.6 million employees are based in India.
An Indian group called the Forum for IT Employees is asking the Indian government to intercede with Cognizant on their behalf. They are appealing to authorities in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The state capital Chennai is home to several large technology companies, including Cognizant and Infosys, which has also been accused of reducing Indian headcount while hiring in the U.S.
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