Evernote announces strategic shift to Europe, lays off US employees
In a recent announcement, Evernote, the note-taking company, confirmed that it has carried out significant layoffs affecting the majority of its employees based in the US and Chile.
The company's decision to shift its operations from the Bay Area to Europe is aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and capitalizing on the strong employer brand associated with Bending Spoons in Europe.
As reported by Business Today, Evernote's recent layoffs coincide with the company's earlier announcement regarding the transition of most of its operations to Europe, the home of its parent company, Bending Spoons.
In a statement, the company said: "Unfortunately, this transition required that most of our Chile- and US-based employees be laid off, and on July 5 the layoff communication took place. We’re committed to supporting those impacted with a substantial separation package."
Evernote has provided significant compensation and benefits to the laid-off employees, including a 16-week salary payout, continued health insurance coverage for up to one year, and a performance bonus.
The bonus will be paid pro-rata, considering the achievement of year-end performance targets. The company has also expressed its commitment to offering additional assistance to employees who were working on visas.
"Going forward, a dedicated (and growing) team based in Europe will continue to assume ownership of the Evernote product. This team will be in an ideal position to leverage the extensive expertise and strength of the 400-plus workforce at Bending Spoons, many of whom have been working on Evernote full-time since the acquisition," said Francesco Patarnello, Chief Executive Officer, Evernote.
The exact number of employees impacted by the recent layoffs was not disclosed by the company. This announcement follows a previous round of layoffs approximately five months ago, where around 129 employees were let go.
During that time, Evernote, once regarded as the leader among note-taking apps, attributed the layoffs to a period of unprofitability. Evernote was subsequently acquired by Italian app developer Bending Spoons in November.
