– Most people feel insecure – E24

The number of employees will be reduced from 270 to 120 employees. Software engineer Thor Høgås says Oda's massive downsizing is an ongoing topic of discussion among employees.

– It will be a very big revolution for everyone, regardless of whether you leave Oda or join the new organization.

So says software engineer Thor Høgås (31), who has been with the company for just over two years. Last week, he and other employees were told that 150 jobs would be cut.

The foreign project is suspended, and costs must be reduced. This means cutting the part of Oda that manages product and technology development in half.

Management and HR are now working hard to solve the problem. Staff have been told their future will be clarified before the summer.

– It is, in the end, a mystery. Maybe it's the case that most people feel uncertain about the outcome, Hugas says.

– He can feel very afraid

The 31-year-old works at the head office of grocery competitor Twain in Oslo. About 120 out of 150 who have to go are sitting there. Last week, he says, the conversation among employees was largely about downsizing.

– There is a lot of discussion at the lunch table and everywhere else. It's very hard not to talk about what the organization will be like next. Some are looking forward to having a new, more focused organisation, while it's really great to be in this position here now.

– It can be very scary when you are in a position where you may lose your job, or your role changes.

Høgås tells of what is seen as an organized process on the part of Oda. He himself is not very worried, although he prefers to move forward. He knows he has other job opportunities. If there was a place for him in the new organization, there's one thing Hogas would know better.

-It would be sad to lose so many talented and good employees.

LinkedIn dating

Soon, around 120 Oda employees in Norway will be looking for a new job. These include developers, designers, data analysts, and engineers. Therefore, there are many people with ICT skills who will change the pastures.

On the same day that news of the cuts was announced, a number of Norwegian companies offered their hand.

On LinkedIn, there were proposals from, for example, drawing board company Remarkable, recycling app Tise, and food box company Cheffelo.

-There was very great support from the surrounding industry. This may indicate that there is still a shortage of workers in technology, Hugas says.

This can be confirmed by Elisabet Hoogsbo, president of the Tecna trade union, which organizes workers in the technology field among others.

– It's boring, of course, for everyone affected by downsizing. We hope that most people will return to work quickly. Fortunately, we see that the job market remains strong for our members in technology and ICT, and that unemployment is currently low.

She says that as a result of downsizing, there will, for a while, be more people applying for vacant positions.

– But we believe that the demand for attractive technologists will remain strong.

Elisabeth Haugesbo

Head of the Tecna Workers Union.