Societe Generale has outlined a proposal to trim its workforce in France by 1,800 positions, primarily through “natural attrition”.

The move comes as part of a broader organisational restructuring that has been submitted for consideration to employee representatives.

As part of its restructuring efforts, Societe Generale recently conducted a collaborative programme involving nearly 2,000 staff members.

This initiative gathered thousands of suggestions from employees on ways to enhance efficiency, including the consolidation of teams, process simplification, better procurement practices, and expanding the use of automation and AI.

In a statement, the bank said: “In line with its strategic roadmap announced in September 2023 and its ambition for sustainable performance, Societe Generale continues to enhance its operational efficiency, simplify its organisation, and invest in skills development and internal mobility.”

The planned changes would affect several central functions at the France, bank’s headquarters and some regional areas within the retail banking sector; however, the branch network itself will not be impacted.

According to the bank, these measures are intended to simplify operational procedures and improve responsiveness in serving customers.

Societe Generale stated that the intended job reductions are in line with terms agreed upon with three trade unions as part of an employment agreement signed on 15 December 2025.

The company emphasised there will be no formal redundancy plan, instead opting for internal transfers between roles within the group.

To assist employees affected by these changes, Societe Generale intends to bolster its training programmes and will introduce a new Mobility and Skills Campus designed to support career development and facilitate transitions within its various business units.

Following discussions with employee representatives, the bank expects to phase in these organisational adjustments throughout 2026 and 2027 for most areas involved.

Possible further changes may follow for retail banking operations beyond those years.

Last year, Societe Generale introduced anti-financial crime technology from Palantir Technologies into its international retail banking operations.

The bank is making use of a range of tools developed on the Palantir Foundry platform. These tools feature analytics and machine learning capabilities aimed at identifying and addressing financial crimes such as money laundering and fraud.