Boeing’s recent announcement to issue layoff notices to 17,000 employees, representing 10% of its global workforce, underscores the financial reality facing the aerospace giant. The company’s finances and ongoing struggles, including setbacks in production and safety investigations, have driven it to make tough decisions to align workforce levels with its immediate priorities and strategic focus.
These layoffs are expected to impact executives, managers, and employees across various roles, with a targeted approach to focus primarily on non-production and non-front-line positions. The restructuring aims to ensure Boeing can stay competitive while navigating a difficult position marked by delayed projects and industry shifts.
Note: All data presented is derived from publicly available sources and is intended for general informational purposes only. For official information, please consult company filings and official documentation.
Employee Sentiment at Boeing
Boeing’s financial and operational challenges seem to have affected employee sentiment, with the seven-week machinists’ strike earlier this year adding strain. According to Aura’s sentiment data, sourced from public data, overall employee morale appears to have declined, in areas like Senior Management, Culture and values, and Work-Life Balance.
This graph shows the trend of employee sentiment at Boeing over recent years, offering insight into morale shifts that financial struggles and operational setbacks may have influenced.
Exits and Talent Flow: Boeing Employees Transitioning Out
As Boeing navigates this restructuring, there has been a noticeable trend in employee exits, particularly to tech and aerospace competitors. The company’s challenges, including lost revenue and project delays, have led some skilled employees to seek opportunities elsewhere. This shift in talent can be seen in the Boeing Exits by Top Destinations graph, which highlights the top companies absorbing Boeing’s departing talent.
This is not to suggest that Boeing is uniquely facing talent outflows in the aerospace industry, but it is interesting to see where highly skilled employees are landing.
In the graph, Microsoft is highlighted as a talent destination with 727 departures, but the very top companies receiving Boeing talent include Northrop Grumman, Amazon, Lockheed Martin, and Blue Origin.
This graph contextualizes Boeing's retention by displaying where Boeing employees are most likely to go after leaving, reflecting the company’s retention efforts for specialized skills.
Specialized Skills in Demand
From analyzing the current skills of its workforce, we can see that Boeing continues to prioritize employees with critical skills in Engineering Management, Aerospace Technology, Project Management, and Systems Engineering.
These skill sets are essential to Boeing’s efforts to stay competitive amid intense industry demands and safety scrutiny. The Boeing Specialized Skills graph illustrates the top skills valued at Boeing, underscoring where the company may focus recruitment and retention efforts post-layoff.
This graph highlights Boeing's specialized skill sets, showing the highest-demand competencies before the company navigates its strategic restructuring.
Workforce Turnover and Hiring Trends
The Total Boeing Departures by Month and Total Boeing Hires by Month graphs show Boeing’s turnover and hiring trends over recent years. Departures have spiked during turbulent periods, including layoffs and major industry setbacks, while hiring fluctuates as Boeing recalibrates its workforce strategy. These charts illustrate the cyclical nature of Boeing’s workforce adjustments amid financial and operational pressures.
These graphs reveal patterns in Boeing's workforce dynamics, emphasizing the (non-unique) challenge of stabilizing the workforce and continuing to innovate while responding to external and internal pressures.
Role Distribution Across Boeing
Boeing’s workforce composition by role is another key indicator of its strategic focus. Engineering roles, which remain central to Boeing’s mission, represent a significant portion of the company’s talent pool. Roles in Leadership, Operations, and IT may be impacted as Boeing trims its workforce in non-production areas. The Total Boeing Employees by Role graph shows Boeing's current workforce's distribution across departments and over time.
This graph illustrates Boeing’s current workforce distribution before this latest realignment
Turn Workforce Data into a Strategic Advantage with Aura
Making data-driven decisions is even more essential to staying competitive during industry upheaval and corporate restructuring. Aura’s workforce intelligence platform empowers consultants, investors, and analysts to see beyond the surface, offering real-time insights into employee sentiment, talent flows, skill demands, and industry benchmarks.
Whether navigating layoffs, tracking industry trends, or identifying growth opportunities, Aura gives you the tools to understand not just what’s happening but why it matters. Transform workforce data into actionable strategy with Aura—and gain the clarity you need to make smarter, faster, and more strategic moves. Explore how Aura can be your edge in workforce intelligence.
