Beaverton- Oregon based company, Nike, said Thursday it will cut two percent of its global workforce as it restructures. The company says it wants to restructure to more quickly get products in the hands of consumers and respond to a rapidly changing consumer landscape.
Nike, like many other companies, is working to adapt to changing consumer behaviors. It’s also seeing increased competition from Adidas.
According to Portland NBC affiliate KGW-TV, the layoffs will likely significantly affect the company’s Oregon headquarters. Nike reported 70,700 global workers on its last annual report. A 2 percent reduction would amount to about 1,400 layoffs.
Nike last month said it had 12,000 workers in Washington County. It is the second-largest private employer in the state after Intel Corp.
The strategic shifts include the creation of a Consumer Direct Offense, which will focus on getting personalized products to market.
“The future of sport will be decided by the company that obsesses the needs of the evolving consumer,” said CEO and Chairman Mark Parker, in a news release. “Through the Consumer Direct Offense, we’re getting even more aggressive in the digital marketplace, targeting key markets and delivering product faster than ever.”
Nike’s last company-wide layoffs were in 2009 when it laid off 4 percent of its workforce amid a previous restructuring.
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