Nike CEO John Donahoe announced that the company is laying off roughly 2% of its workforce Thursday evening. The move was communicated to employees by an internal e-mail that Complex Sneakers obtained.
“While interest in sport, health, wellness and comfort has never been stronger, we are in a highly competitive industry where speed and end-to-end execution is critical to win,” said Donahoe in the e-mail. “To compete, we must edit, shift and divest less critical work to create greater focus and capacity for what matters most.”
Specifically, the e-mail states that the company is focused on accelerating its innovation and investing in its ‘most significant fields of play and growth opportunities’ such as running, women’s, and the Jordan Brand. The job cuts were described as one of the ways Nike is attempting to align its organization with its strategy.
“This is a painful reality and not one that I take lightly,” the e-mail reads. “We are not currently performing at our best, and I ultimately hold myself and my leadership team accountable. That said, I have never been more confident in our leadership and team to drive the clarity and teamwork required to win.”
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