C.H. Robinson confirmed it recently offered voluntary buyouts to a limited group of employees as part of an ongoing effort to streamline operations and improve efficiency.
The company did not disclose how many employees were offered buyouts or how many accepted.
According to a person familiar with the matter, about 160 employees were reportedly offered voluntary buyouts and roughly 26 accepted the packages, which included about nine months of severance pay and accelerated vesting of stock.
The Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based third-party logistics giant said the voluntary severance program targeted a “limited group of leaders” and is part of a broader organizational transformation. The company did not disclose how many employees were offered buyouts or how many accepted.
“As part of our ongoing focus on continuous improvement, we regularly evaluate our organizational design to ensure it aligns with our long-term strategy,” the company said in a statement to FreightWaves. “Recently, we offered a voluntary severance program to a limited group of leaders as part of this broader transformation. This step supports operating more efficiently while positioning the company for sustainable growth. We continue to hire in customer- and carrier-facing roles and continue to invest in our people, who are a key reason customers choose us.”
News of the buyouts was first reported on a freight industry forum on Reddit before the company confirmed the program to FreightWaves.
C.H. Robinson’s (Nasdaq: CHRW) workforce has been steadily declining over the past two years as the company pushes automation and process improvements across its operations.
A chart included in company reporting shows total headcount falling from about 14,990 employees in the first quarter of 2024 to roughly 12,085 employees by the fourth quarter of 2025, while North American Surface Transportation (NAST) headcount declined from about 6,004 to 4,970 during the same period.
Company executives have repeatedly said the reductions are tied to productivity improvements rather than freight volumes, as automation and AI reduce the need for manual work on routine tasks.
During the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call, executives said many processes that once required heavy human involvement are now automated or require significantly less labor, allowing the company to scale without adding headcount.
C.H. Robinson reported improved margins in its core North American Surface Transportation segment during the fourth quarter, even as the broader freight market remained weak.
