Sydney / Australia — February 11, 2026: Australian telecommunications giant Telstra has announced a significant workforce reduction that could lead to up to around 800 job cuts as part of its ongoing strategy to streamline operations and adapt to changing market demands — including greater use of automation and offshore partnerships.

Details of the Job Reductions

Telstra has informed employees across its Telstra Enterprise and Telstra Customer divisions that around 650 roles may be made redundant, with some positions proposed for outsourcing to India-based technology firms like Infosys. This follows a recent announcement that another 209 jobs could be cut within the company’s AI joint venture with Accenture, where certain functions will be restructured or moved offshore.

Staff notified of the proposed changes have been given the choice to apply for new roles within Telstra or its partners, and the company has pledged to provide career transition support and redundancy benefits where necessary.

Part of a Longer Restructuring Trend

This latest round of cuts comes on the heels of prior workforce reductions by Telstra. In recent years, the company has undertaken several rounds of job downsizing as it reshapes its enterprise operations and focuses on efficiency — including past reductions affecting hundreds and even thousands of roles as part of broader organisational changes.

Reasons Behind the Cuts

In internal communications, Telstra’s leadership explained that the job reductions are intended to simplify operations, improve competitiveness, and reduce organisational complexity. The move aligns with Telstra’s longer-term “Connected Future 30” strategy, which emphasises digital transformation, enhanced customer experiences, and greater integration of data and automation across the business.

While integration of AI and offshore delivery models is part of the evolution, Telstra officials have said that not all job cuts are directly driven by automation technologies — but rather by the need to align resources with current business priorities.

Impact and Employee Support

Affected workers may have access to redeployment opportunities within Telstra or partner companies, as well as career counselling and retrenchment packages. Telstra has stated that decisions on final job numbers will follow required consultation periods with employees and relevant unions.