Uber plans 10% global workforce reduction, affecting ~3,400 roles

GlobalData Thu, September 3, 2026 at 2:37 AM PDT 3 min read

Uber Technologies plans to cut approximately 10% of its global workforce as part of a restructuring effort aimed at simplifying operations, reducing management layers, and concentrating teams in key office hubs.

The move comes despite strong financial performance.

Financial Highlights

For the quarter ended 30 June 2026, Uber reported:

• Revenue: $14.19 billion, up 12.2% year-over-year
• Operating income: $1.89 billion, up 30.3%
• Net income attributable to Uber: $2.39 billion, up 76.7%

CEO Statement

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the changes are intended to make the company "simpler and faster" and free up capacity for future investment.

"We are removing layers, simplifying team structures, refining our global location strategy, and focusing our people and investments against the biggest opportunities ahead of us," Khosrowshahi said in a message to employees. "As a result, we will be reducing the size of our team by about 10%."

Workforce Impact

Based on Uber's disclosed global headcount of approximately 34,000 employees as of 31 December 2025, the reduction would affect around 3,400 roles.

Khosrowshahi emphasized that the cuts were driven by organizational design rather than business weakness.

"These changes are about how we are organised and what we are prioritising, not about anyone's contributions to Uber," he said.

Organizational Changes

Uber reported it has:

• Reduced the number of employees sitting seven or more layers from the CEO by 20%
• Cut "micro-teams" of one to two direct reports by nearly 50%
• Merged several teams, including Delivery Ops units across Restaurants, Retail, and Direct, into single structures at global, regional, and country levels

Location Strategy

The company is tightening its location strategy:

• Global teams will be concentrated mainly in New York and San Francisco
• Most remote employees will be required to relocate to offices
• Only about 1% of employees will remain remote going forward
• Uber continues to enforce its three-days-a-week office policy

"A leaner organisation will mean clearer ownership, faster decisions, and more time spent building rather than coordinating," Khosrowshahi said.

Expansion into Autonomous Driving

The restructuring comes as Uber expands into higher-growth segments such as autonomous driving. In London, Uber and Wayve have launched supervised autonomous rides using Wayve-equipped all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles, giving selected users access to autonomous trips through the Uber app.

In a statement today (3 September), Uber said the launch begins with a "small number of vehicles in this initial phase and will grow thoughtfully over time in-line with rider demand, readiness, and regulation."

"Uber plans 10% workforce reduction as revenue and profit rise" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand.