Evernote lays off US-based employees as it shifts base to Europe

Note-taking company Evernote on Sunday said that it has laid off most of its US- and- Chile-based employees as the company wraps its operations from Bay Area and moves to Europe. The company said the step is intended to “boost operational efficiency and to make the most of the Bending Spoons employer brand, which is extremely strong in Europe”.

This comes shortly after the company announced that most of the company operations are transitioning to Europe, the home of its parent company, Bending Spoons.

In a statement, the company said: "Unfortunately, this transition required that most of our Chile- and US-based employees be laid off, and on July 5 the layoff communication took place. We’re committed to supporting those impacted with a substantial separation package."

Most laid-off employees have been issued 16 weeks of salary along with health insurance for up to one year, and a performance bonus, paid pro-rata as if the year-end performance targets, the company said also adding that its offering additional support to employees who were working on visa.

"Going forward, a dedicated (and growing) team based in Europe will continue to assume ownership of the Evernote product. This team will be in an ideal position to leverage the extensive expertise and strength of the 400-plus workforce at Bending Spoons, many of whom have been working on Evernote full-time since the acquisition," said Francesco Patarnello, Chief Executive Officer, Evernote.

Many users took to Linkedin to express their thoughts about the layoffs.

The company did not specify how many employees had been affected by this round of layoffs. The news comes almost five months after the company, once considered the "king of note-taking apps", laid off about 129 employees. The reason was then cited as the company's "unprofitable years". Italian app developer Bending Spoons acquired Evernote in November.