Combined, both companies had 232,788 employees at the end of 2019, considering all their subsidiaries in the region. That number dropped to 207,586 at the end of 2023.
Since 2019 and to date, Cencosud (Paris, Easy, Jumbo, Costanera Center, among others) and Falabella (multistore and bank of the same name, Sodimac, Tottus, among others) have eliminated 25,202 jobs.
This reflects internal adjustments, cost reduction and optimization of resources.
According to Diario Financiero, both companies had 232,788 employees at the end of 2019. By the end of 2023, that number went down to 207,586 (considering all their subsidiaries in the region).
In fact, last year Falabella registered its lowest workforce since 2010.
The company indicated to the newspaper that they are constantly carrying out evaluations that mean growing some teams and shrinking others.
“Organizational changes are part of our permanent management. Therefore, we are continually reviewing our operation and structure to adapt them to different scenarios and continue with our long-term strategy,” he said.
Along the same line, Cencosud explained that they are “permanently looking for ways to optimize and make processes more efficient,” with the purpose of “improving the value proposition to customers and becoming increasingly competitive in the long term.”
Cencosud from England
In June 2023, the president of Cencosud, Heike Paulmann, delved into the reasons that led them to transfer control of the holding company to England. The company is now run under that country's regulations.
Paulmann explained that it was based on “legal certainty” and the goal of being a global company.
“Cencosud was obviously born in Chile (…) but over time we have grown in different countries and with that we are a Chilean company less and less. We are an international company,” he said.
In that context, he stressed: “we cannot expect to manage this company from the perspective of Chile. This is a global company.”
Changes in Falabella
Falabella recently confirmed that it reversed what had been its digital strategy. Although it had grouped all its business units in one, it decided to once again give greater prominence to certain brands (particularly, Sodimac and Tottus).
The changes are already reflected on their website and they generally respond to the objective of the group - founded in 1889 - to enhance its various channels, facilitate the purchase experience, and achieve favorable results.
On March 7, Falabella announced another change: it left the orange color behind and returned to the classic and historic corporate green color that identified the company before.
