Layoffs in Sweden

On March 23, 2026, Spotify conducted a new round of layoffs within its podcast division, affecting approximately 15 employees, which represents about 3% of the group's headcount. The cuts primarily impacted staff at The Ringer and Spotify Studios. According to internal sources, this restructuring aims to enhance execution, speed, and team alignment within the podcast organization, rather than being driven by cost-cutting measures. Spotify emphasized it continues to invest in growth areas like multiformat content and video for its podcast business. This follows previous reductions in the division, including layoffs in June 2025 and a larger strategic realignment in 2023. The company, a major player in the audio streaming industry, declined to comment on the staffing changes.

Ericsson laid off 1,600 employees on 2026-01-15.

Northvolt, the Swedish battery manufacturer once hailed as Europe's contender against Chinese dominance, has laid off more than half of its workforce as it navigates bankruptcy. Following its Chapter 11 filing in the U.S. and subsequent bankruptcy proceedings in Sweden, the company is reducing its Swedish operations from about 4,500 employees to just 1,700, a cut of over 60%. Specifically, at its Skellefteå gigafactory, nearly 3,000 workers will be pared down to 1,200. The layoffs, announced by bankruptcy trustee Mikael Kuba in late March 2025, aim to maintain minimal operations to facilitate a potential sale of the business. Northvolt's downfall stemmed from falling behind on battery orders and depleting its cash reserves, despite having raised $13 billion from major investors like Volkswagen and Goldman Sachs. The company, which had attracted talent from global tech giants, now sees its skilled workforce becoming a target for other Swedish industrial projects in the region.

Swedish online fashion retailer Boozt has announced a workforce reduction, laying off approximately 150 employees. This represents about 15% of its total workforce. The decision, made in early 2024, is part of a strategic restructuring aimed at improving efficiency and long-term profitability within the competitive e-commerce industry. The company, a major player in the Nordic region, is implementing these changes to streamline operations and adapt to current market challenges.

Cint, a global research technology company with approximately 900 full-time employees, announced a workforce reduction of about 12% on December 12, 2024. This layoff affects both employees and contractors and is part of broader cost-cutting measures aimed at streamlining operations and enhancing efficiency amid challenging market dynamics. The restructuring is expected to reduce annual operating expenses by approximately €15 million, with a one-time charge of around €5 million in Q4 2024. The company is focusing on finalizing customer migration to its unified Cint Exchange in 2025 and plans to outline its revised medium-term strategy in a January 2025 investor update.

Northvolt, a European battery startup, announced layoffs of 1,600 employees, representing about 20% of its workforce, as part of cost-cutting measures. The company cited lower-than-expected demand growth for electric vehicles and execution issues, including a canceled contract with BMW. The layoffs were accompanied by halting factory expansions in Sweden.

Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt announced plans on Monday to lay off approximately 1,600 employees, primarily in Sweden, as part of a major cost-cutting drive. This represents a reduction of about 20% of its global workforce and 25% of its staff in Sweden. The company, which had over 6,000 employees as of March, is refocusing its resources to accelerate core battery cell production at its Northvolt Ett gigafactory in Skellefteå, where 1,000 of the job cuts will occur. The decision follows a strategic review prompted by a challenging macroeconomic climate and leads to the suspension of a planned factory expansion. Northvolt, a key European supplier for automakers like Volkswagen and Volvo, stated the layoffs are subject to union negotiations as it aims to streamline operations in the competitive electric vehicle battery industry.

Spotify is restructuring its advertising operations by trimming its ad sales team, a move that aligns with its strategic shift towards focusing on smaller clients and programmatic advertising. The company is consolidating ad teams and enhancing its partnership with Accenture to better support advertisers. This adjustment, announced in July 2024, reflects Spotify's ongoing efforts to streamline its business model within the competitive digital music and podcasting industry, though specific numbers of employees affected or the overall workforce size were not disclosed in the report.

Cint Group, a global research technology company with approximately 1,000 employees, is implementing organizational changes as part of an efficiency program aimed at reducing personnel costs by about 10 percent, primarily within its Commercial organization. This restructuring, announced on July 1, 2024, is part of the company's transition to a consolidated platform and a new commercial operating model. The changes also include the departure of Chief Revenue Officer Jake Wolff and Chief Supply and Partnership Officer Mike Misel. While the exact number of layoffs is not specified, the cost reduction target suggests a significant workforce reduction across the organization.

Swedish electric scooter startup Voi Technology laid off 120 employees, representing about 12% of its workforce, in February 2024. The cuts primarily affected full-time employees, consultants, and part-time staff in office roles, while field operations like mechanics were largely spared. CEO Fredrik Hjelm described the decision as difficult but necessary, citing the company's ongoing pursuit of profitability amid a challenging economic climate for the micromobility sector. This move follows Voi's efforts since mid-2022 to reduce central overhead costs by nearly 50, even as it reported growth in gross profit and margin the previous year. The layoffs reflect broader industry pressures, seen in similar restructuring and mergers among competitors like Tier and Dott.

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Swedish electric motorcycle startup Cake filed for bankruptcy on February 1, 2024, after a critical investor withdrew from a funding round, leaving the company unable to meet its financial obligations, including employee salaries. The boutique manufacturer, known for its high-design e-motorcycles and mopeds, had previously raised $74 million in venture capital. This bankruptcy reflects broader struggles within the e-mobility industry, following similar failures and consolidations among peers. The company's future remains uncertain as it seeks a potential buyer or restructuring solution.

Storytel laid off 80 employees representing approximately 13% of its workforce on 2024-01-24.

Spotify, the global music streaming service, announced a significant workforce reduction of approximately 1,500 employees, representing 17% of its total staff. This decision, made in early December 2023, is part of a broader effort to "rightsize" costs after the company expanded aggressively during 2020 and 2021 when capital was cheap. CEO Daniel Ek cited the need to adapt to a slower economic growth environment and more expensive capital, aiming to drive sustainable profitability despite the company recently reporting a quarterly profit. This move follows earlier layoffs and reflects ongoing adjustments within the tech and streaming industry as companies prioritize financial efficiency.

Volta Trucks representing approximately 100% of its workforce on 2023-10-18.

Detectify, a Swedish cybersecurity company, has laid off approximately 20 employees, representing about 13% of its workforce. The decision, announced in late 2023, was attributed to strategic restructuring aimed at improving operational efficiency and focusing on core product development amid broader economic challenges in the tech industry. The company, which provides automated security testing solutions, stated the move was necessary to ensure long-term sustainability and growth.

Viaplay, the Nordic streaming service, is laying off approximately 450 employees, representing over 25% of its workforce, as part of a major restructuring announced in July 2023. The company is pulling its non-sports streaming services from the U.S. and UK to refocus on its core Nordic and Dutch markets, alongside international content distribution via Viaplay Select. This strategic shift, driven by new CEO Jørgen Madsen Lindemann, follows disappointing international expansion and includes a review of options like equity injections or a potential sale. The layoffs, costing around $4 million, affect senior executives and come as Viaplay aims to streamline operations and prioritize Nordic originals and sports rights.

Spotify announced layoffs on Monday, cutting 200 employees which represents about 2% of its workforce. This reduction is part of a strategic pivot within its podcasting unit, shifting from a uniform approach to a more tailored partnership model to better support creators. The company, a major player in the audio streaming industry, has invested heavily in podcasting through acquisitions and high-profile deals in recent years. Affected employees will receive severance packages as the changes take effect.

Spotify laid off 15 employees on 2023-03-30.

Ericsson laid off 8,500 employees representing approximately 8% of its workforce on 2023-02-24.

Spotify laid off 600 employees representing approximately 6% of its workforce on 2023-01-23.

Spotify is laying off 6 percent of its global workforce, as announced by the CEO, as part of cost-cutting measures.

Fishbrain, a popular fishing app company, laid off approximately 30 employees, which represents around 20% of its workforce. The layoffs occurred in early 2023 as part of a restructuring effort to streamline operations and extend the company's financial runway amid broader economic challenges in the tech industry. Based in Stockholm, Sweden, Fishbrain operates as a mid-scale startup in the outdoor recreation and technology sector, focusing on connecting anglers worldwide.

Voi, the Swedish micromobility company, laid off approximately 35 employees in November 2023 as part of a strategic restructuring to accelerate its path to profitability. This reduction affected around 7% of its workforce, which was reported to be about 500 people at the time. The decision was driven by a need to streamline operations and reduce costs amid a challenging economic environment for the tech and shared transport industry. Voi, a prominent player in the European e-scooter and e-bike rental market, stated the move would help focus resources on core markets and sustainable growth.

Detectify, a Swedish cybersecurity company, has laid off approximately 20 employees, which represents about 13% of its workforce. The decision, announced in late 2023, was attributed to a strategic restructuring aimed at improving operational efficiency and focusing resources on core product development amid broader market challenges in the tech industry. The company, which provides automated security assessment tools, stated the move was necessary to ensure long-term sustainability and adapt to evolving customer needs in the competitive cybersecurity sector.

Juni laid off 72 employees representing approximately 33% of its workforce on 2022-11-17.

Oatly, the Swedish oat milk company, announced plans for job cuts in November 2022 as investor sentiment soured. The plant-based food producer, which had grown rapidly following its IPO, faced mounting pressure to improve its financial performance and streamline operations amid a challenging market environment. While the exact number of employees affected was not immediately disclosed in the initial report, the layoffs were part of a broader restructuring effort aimed at reducing costs and refocusing the business. The move highlighted the growing pains within the competitive alternative dairy industry as companies adjusted to shifting consumer demand and investor expectations for profitability.

Spotify on 2022-11-09.

Swedish digital healthcare company Kry is laying off around 300 employees, representing 10% of its workforce, as part of a strategic move to achieve profitability within the next 18 to 24 months. The company, which operates in the health tech industry, reports that its Swedish operations are already essentially profitable. This restructuring, announced in April 2026, aims to streamline operations and accelerate its path to overall financial sustainability.

Sinch laid off 150 employees on 2022-10-12.

In October 2022, Spotify laid off under 5% of its podcast division staff as part of a strategic restructuring, canceling 11 original podcasts from its Gimlet and Parcast studios. This move, the company's first group cancellation, aimed to streamline its content slate by removing underperforming shows to focus resources on strengthening its lineup of hit original and exclusive podcasts. While the exact number of employees affected was not publicly disclosed, the layoffs were a targeted cut within the podcast team, with some staff being reassigned to other projects. The decision reflects a broader industry trend of refining content offerings for greater impact, as Spotify continued to expand its audio empire, which included over 500 original and exclusive podcasts across its studios at the time.

Klarna, the Swedish buy now, pay later fintech giant, announced a second round of layoffs in September 2022, affecting fewer than 100 employees globally. This came just four months after cutting 10% of its workforce and despite CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski stating weeks earlier that layoffs were complete. The new COO, Camilla Giesecke, cited a need to reflect the company's "more focused" nature, with cuts targeting departments like IT and recruiting. Klarna's revised budget allowed for up to 6,000 employees. The move followed a turbulent period where Klarna's valuation plummeted 85% to $6.7 billion, and its losses more than tripled, driven by a challenging economic environment shifting away from the low-interest conditions that favored BNPL models.

Acast laid off 70 employees representing approximately 15% of its workforce on 2022-09-15.

Hedvig laid off 12 employees on 2022-09-01.

Voi laid off 35 employees representing approximately 10% of its workforce on 2022-06-22.

Swedish online fashion retailer Boozt has announced a workforce reduction, laying off approximately 150 employees. This represents about 15% of its total workforce, which stands around 1,000 people. The decision, made in early 2024, is part of a strategic restructuring aimed at improving efficiency and adapting to a challenging market environment in the e-commerce and retail industry. As a mid-sized company, Boozt is implementing these changes to streamline operations and ensure long-term competitiveness.

Daniel Wellington, a Swedish watch and jewelry brand, laid off approximately 50 employees in early 2023, representing around 10% of its workforce at the time. The restructuring was part of a strategic shift to streamline operations and adapt to changing market conditions in the consumer goods and retail industry. As a mid-sized global company, the move aimed to enhance efficiency amid economic pressures and evolving consumer trends.

Memmo, a Swedish video message platform, laid off approximately 30 employees in May 2023, representing around 15% of its workforce at the time. The company, operating in the creator economy and digital services industry, cited a need to restructure and extend its financial runway amid broader market challenges. This reduction was part of a strategic shift to focus on core operations and ensure long-term sustainability.

Klarna, the Swedish fintech giant, is laying off approximately 700 employees, which represents about 10% of its global workforce of around 7,000. The decision, announced by CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski in May 2022, is a response to a challenging capital market environment for fast-growing tech companies with high losses. The layoffs, affecting roles across the organization and primarily in Europe, are part of a broader cost-cutting trend in the Swedish tech sector, with companies like Trustly and Storytel also making reductions. This move coincides with reports that Klarna is seeking new funding at a significantly lower valuation than its previous peak, as the company aims to chart a clearer path to profitability.

Swedish digital healthcare company Kry is laying off approximately 100 employees, which represents about 10% of its office staff. The layoffs affect personnel at the headquarters, while the company's roughly 2,000 healthcare employees across Sweden and Europe are not impacted. This decision, part of a broader trend of cutbacks in the tech sector during 2022, is attributed to a need for more careful capital management. Despite the reductions, Kry plans to continue hiring in its healthcare services and expanding its physical clinics in Sweden and operations in France and the UK, aiming to have a larger total workforce by year's end. The company, Europe's largest digital healthcare provider, cites a shift in focus back to core operations and sustainable investment as reasons for the restructuring.

Swedish audiobook giant Storytel laid off 100 employees in March 2022, representing over 10% of its workforce, as part of a strategic shift. This move followed a year of losses attributed to aggressive and costly international expansion into 25 markets that underperformed. Founder and CEO Jonas Tellander had also recently stepped down. The company, which has around 2 million subscribers, is now refocusing on fewer, more mature markets like the US to improve profitability, while its strong Nordic operations continue to perform well.

Trustly laid off 120 employees on 2022-02-17.

Swedish electric scooter startup Voi, a European rival to Bird, implemented significant workforce reductions in early April 2020 to ensure its survival during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company laid off and furloughed most of its staff, including all employees on probation, some senior management, and roles across finance, engineering, design, and commercial. While the exact number of layoffs was not specified, the action was described as a drastic measure affecting a large portion of its workforce. The primary reason was to drastically cut costs and preserve the company's cash runway into 2021, as widespread lockdowns across Europe severely impacted the scooter-sharing industry during what should have been the peak season. Voi, which operated in over 38 cities across 10 European countries, leveraged national furlough schemes to mitigate the crisis while its management team took pay cuts.