- Stellantis reverses years of job cuts with major global hiring push.
- North America becomes priority with 4,700 new hires already made.
- Another 5,000 jobs due soon related to $13 billion US investment.
After years of layoffs and belt-tightening, Stellantis is suddenly on a hiring spree. The multinational carmaker has increased its workforce by more than 10,000 workers worldwide and is breathing life back into facilities in North America that were starting to feel like they were withering on the vine.
This marks a sharp pivot from the strategy under former CEO Carlos Tavares, who spent years aggressively trimming the workforce during a period when Stellantis profits slumped by a staggering 50 percent. Tens of thousands of jobs disappeared as the company chased efficiency. It worked on paper, but it didn’t exactly spark joy among employees or boost momentum in key markets, and vehicle quality suffered.
Related: Stellantis Is Giving Bonuses After All, Just Not To The People Who Built Its Cars
Now, under new boss Antonio Filosa, the tone has changed. Instead of cutting to survive, Stellantis is hiring to rebuild. The company’s global headcount has climbed back to almost 259,000, and North America is getting a decent slice of that growth.
$13 Billion For US
The US is back in focus, even if the biggest chunk of regional hiring actually landed in Mexico. Plants there are ramping up production with extra shifts, while US operations are adding engineers, support staff, and eventually 5,000 factory workers over the next four years tied to a $13 billion investment plan.
One of the most noticeable changes is happening at the Auburn Hills tech center. Not long ago, it reportedly felt half empty. Now, parking lots are filling up again and offices are buzzing. It’s a visible sign that Stellantis is trying to rediscover some energy after a pretty subdued stretch coming out of the pandemic.
Quality Goals
A big part of the plan is hiring around 2,000 engineers over the next couple of years, The Detroit News reports. The goal is simple. Fix quality, which hasn’t always been a strong suit for brands such as Jeep and Dodge, improve products, and stop giving customers reasons to look elsewhere. That might sound obvious, but it’s been a weak spot the company can’t afford to ignore.
It’s not all sunshine yet. Sales and profits still need work, and question marks remain over the survivability of underperforming brands like Maserati and DS, so this isn’t a full comeback story. But compared to the recent past, Stellantis definitely seems to be moving in the right direction, investing in people and giving buyers vehicles they want, including V8s that old boss Tavares seemed determined to snuff out.
