PwC has gutted its US talent acquisition team, removing roles from leadership down to business recruiters, campus staff, and Argentina nearshore teams. Multiple sources confirm the cuts included the entire TID (talent acquisition) department, contractors, and executive assistants.
The timing follows a November 2025 warning that "transformation" (read: layoffs) were coming. Firmwide Talent Acquisition & Development Leader Margaret Burke told staff the firm would rely on "contractors and third party labour" for the next two years, significantly limiting recruiting efforts.
This comes after PwC cut 1,500 US roles (2% of workforce) in May 2025, targeting tax, audit, and newer hires. Globally, the firm trimmed 5,600 positions in FY2025, reversing a 2021 pledge to add 100,000 staff by mid-2026.
The numbers tell the story: US revenue growth fell from 10.7% in 2023 to 3.4% in 2024. Global revenue hit $56.9bn in FY2025, up just 2.9%, down sharply from 9.9% growth in FY2023. The firm is pouring $1.5bn into AI investments while attrition stays low and M&A work dries up.
For those thinking "it's just recruiters," zoom out. Slashing an entire talent pipeline signals more deterioration ahead. This isn't about efficiency. It's about a firm that no longer needs the warm bodies of accounting graduates at previous volumes.
Tampere back-office support roles were also cut recently as part of the same modernisation push. PwC calls it "reinvention for a challenging economic climate." The rest of us call it February 2026.
The Big Four collectively executed major layoffs in the past year, but PwC's approach is notably aggressive. Deloitte and EY both posted 4-5% revenue growth recently, reversing slowdowns. PwC is on its third year of deceleration.
The 2020s aren't exactly roaring, are they?