PwC Begins Major Workforce Cuts

PwC is undergoing one of its largest workforce realignments in recent years. In its latest fiscal year, the firm cut approximately 5,600 jobs globally, a significant reversal from earlier hiring goals. These reductions span support roles, client-service teams, and specific international regions that have seen major market disruptions.

While the Big Four are no strangers to periodic restructuring, this round is notable for both its scale and timing — following several years of aggressive hiring and expansion.

U.S. Impact: Cuts Across Support and Client-Facing Roles

Latest Cuts: Business-Services Functions

In November 2025, PwC eliminated around 150 roles across U.S. business-services functions, including:

• HR

• Marketing

• Internal IT

• Learning & development

• Operations and administrative support

These cuts represent roughly 1.5% of the U.S. business-services workforce. They reflect PwC’s push toward leaner internal operations, cost control, and greater use of automation in administrative tasks.

Earlier 2025 Cuts in Tax & Assurance

Earlier this year, PwC also cut approximately 1,500 U.S. jobs (about 2% of its tax and assurance practice).
The firm cited:

• Historically low attrition

• Overstaffing relative to client demand

• A need to rebalance talent pipelines

This is especially notable because PwC — like other Big Four firms — had significantly ramped up hiring in 2021–2022 during the post-pandemic advisory boom.

In May 2025, PwC announced the layoff of approximately 1,500 employees in the United States, representing about 2% of its 75,000-person U.S. workforce. This move primarily affected the firm’s audit and tax divisions and was attributed to historically low attrition rates, leading to staffing surpluses.

There is no secret that less people have been leaving the big 4 in recent years. This is primarily due to better policies around working from home. It’s a lot easier to deal with big 4 headaches when you don’t have to go into the office everyday. Additionally, a lot of clients are working from home or are remote, so it’s not necessary to go into their offices. With little to no commuting, dealing with the stresses of the big 4 is a lot easier and fewer people are leaving.

It must also be remembered that the big 4 don’t necessarily do things that make sense. They laid off some new hires but are still hiring more people. I’m sure the people that were laid off had low utilization. The key is to stay utilized. This is always the case. If you don’t have good utilization, then the firms will view as a problem.

International Layoffs: Middle East Hit Hard

Globally, the largest international impact occurred in PwC’s Middle East operations, where the firm reportedly cut ~1,500 employees and 60 partners. The catalyst was a high-profile dispute with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign-wealth fund, which temporarily limited advisory contract opportunities in the region.

PwC had previously identified the Middle East as a major growth engine — making these cuts especially significant.

Why PwC Is Cutting Jobs Now

1. Slowing Revenue Growth

PwC reported 2.9% global revenue growth in FY2025 — down from 3.7% in 2024 and nearly 10% during the pandemic-recovery boom. Advisory demand, in particular, has cooled as clients refocus on cost control.

Slower growth = less room for excess capacity.

2. Overhiring During the Boom Years

From 2021–2023, PwC aggressively expanded headcount. Now, with attrition falling sharply, the firm has more staff than it needs — particularly at junior levels and in internal support.

3. Technology & Automation

Functions like HR, marketing, administrative support, and even parts of audit are becoming more automated. Internal teams are shrinking while investments shift toward:

• AI-enabled audit tools

• Tax automation platforms

• Digital assurance services

• Consulting in cloud, cybersecurity, and transformation

4. Market-Specific Shocks

In the Middle East, geopolitical and regulatory issues directly impacted revenue, forcing rapid cuts.

What This Means for Students and Job Seekers

Hiring Will Be More Selective

PwC (and other Big Four firms) are tightening both campus recruiting and experienced-hire pipelines. Fewer full-time offers and more targeted hiring are expected through 2026.

Support Roles Are Most Vulnerable

Marketing, HR, operations, and internal IT have been first in line for reductions.

For students:
→ Core service lines (audit, tax, advisory) remain safer — but growth will not match pre-2023 levels.

Expect More Skills-Based Hiring

Technical skills now matter more than ever:

• Data analytics

• Digital audit tools

• Python/SQL

• Tax automation platforms

• Cybersecurity and cloud skills

Students with tech fluency will have an advantage.

What This Means for Current PwC Employees

• Expect continued restructuring, especially in internal functions.

• Promotions may slow in certain service lines due to tighter leverage models.

• Client demand is still stable, so layoffs are likely to stay targeted rather than firm-wide.

• Employees in transformation-focused areas (cloud, data, AI, cybersecurity) are safest — these teams are still hiring.

Impact on the Big Four Landscape

PwC is not alone. All the Big Four firms have:

• Slowed revenue growth

• Reduced hiring targets

• Shifted investment toward AI and automation

• Tightened their staffing leverage model

However, PwC’s cuts are among the most public and substantial so far — and may signal what’s ahead for Deloitte, KPMG, and EY.

Is This the Beginning of a Bigger Trend?

Probably. The Big Four rode a once-in-a-generation boom between 2020–2022. That expansion created a hiring bubble that is now normalizing.

Expect:

• More selective recruiting

• Smaller starting classes

• More internal reshuffling

• Heavier use of outsourcing and automation

But don’t expect a collapse — the Big Four business model remains robust, and demand for audit and tax is structurally stable.

Takeaways

• PwC has laid off ~5,600 employees globally this year.

• U.S. business-services cuts: ~150 roles.

• U.S. tax & assurance cuts: ~1,500 roles.

• Middle East layoffs: ~1,500 employees + 60 partners.

• The primary drivers: slower growth, overhiring, lower attrition, and market-specific challenges.

• Students and job seekers should expect more competitive recruiting and greater emphasis on tech skills.