Financial services: BPO call centre Concentrix closes down, leaving 320 employees out of work

BPO giant Concentrix is closing its Mauritius branch. The opening of a new site in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, last year had already raised fears among employees that the worst was yet to come. However, it is alleged that fraud at the Mauritius site may have ultimately precipitated the closure. Foreign executives even travelled to Mauritius to investigate the matter, and it was they who decided to shut down the operation. At the same time, the company is well known to the Ministry of Labour, where several complaints have been filed by employees, notably at the Rose-Hill office. With the closure, all these matters remain unresolved.

Rumours of the closure had already been circulating across the various floors of the Cube building in Ébène, where Concentrix had been operating since 2017. The US company, which specialises in customer relationship management, is one of the largest operators in Mauritius’s BPO sector. The Mauritian branch had, in fact, been recruiting regularly. Its most recent recruitment campaign was launched last May.

However, the difficulties began two or three years ago, with the loss of major clients, notably American Express and Etraveli, a platform that allows users to compare and purchase tickets from numerous airlines. Another campaign, Travel Purk, also ended in July. The loss of these major clients led to a reduction in staff, from 870 to 320 employees over the course of a few years. Employees also saw their bonuses gradually reduced over the months. Even overtime became increasingly rare. “Before August, which is the peak season in Europe, we did not work any overtime,” said one employee.

Concentrix Mauritius managed to stay afloat thanks to another major client, namely the booking platform Booking.com. The other campaign that remains active is Ticketmaster, although it has been operating with a reduced workforce for several months.

The opening of a new branch in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, last year had already raised doubts in Ébène. The irony is that Quality Evaluators and Trainers from Mauritius travelled there to train the Ivorian staff. “There were rumours that some members of management had already started side businesses, and one manager clearly told us a few months ago to make our own arrangements, because we did not know what might happen,” said an employee with five years of service.

Everything is said to have changed in June, with alleged fraud at the Mauritius site. Large amounts in euros were reportedly involved. A member of senior management was even suspended. Foreign executives travelled to Mauritius to investigate the matter. Since then, events have accelerated, and rumours of the closure have become increasingly persistent.

Complicated industrial relations

Beyond its financial difficulties, Concentrix has been the subject of numerous complaints at the Labour Office, particularly at the Rose-Hill branch. A former employee, who filed a complaint over alleged irregularities in the payment of his benefits, said: “The officers at the Labour Office actually told me that there was no point in filing a complaint because Concentrix representatives never showed up when they were summoned.”

The Rose-Hill office had been working on a major case, which could now be derailed by the announced closure. Employees were invited to attend an important meeting last week. It was there that they were officially informed that Concentrix would cease its operations in Mauritius. “We were asked to sign a document confirming our years of service, and we were told to seek a lawyer, if we wished, for the negotiations over severance payments, which will begin on 11 September,” employees confirmed.

A prominent lawyer-politician is reportedly being approached to represent the employees’ interests. The first layoffs could take place at the beginning of October. Part-time employees may be the first to go. A second group is expected to follow on 20 November, ahead of the final closure, announced for 25 November.

One employee said: “The foreign executives made it clear to us that they would comply with Mauritian laws. At the same time, however, we are hearing that there will be a rate of Rs 15,000 per year of service for everyone. We are not really sure. We are waiting for the negotiations to begin to find out more.”

People in the industry have also complained about the difficult working conditions in recent months, which have prompted many agents to resign. “Was this a deliberate strategy to push people into resigning so that the company would not have to pay them for their years of service?” one employee asked. There have been numerous departures just in August and early September.

Closure due to financial difficulties and declining competitiveness

In a letter addressed to its employees, Concentrix attributed the cessation of its operations in Mauritius to financial difficulties. The loss of seven major clients over the past six years was cited as a factor behind the situation.

The company also referred to a decline in the competitiveness and commercial attractiveness of its operations in Mauritius. Employees were also assured that their rights would be protected.

Ministry of Labour requests information

The Ministry of Labour has been notified of Concentrix’s intention to cease its operations in Mauritius. Additional information has therefore been requested from the company in order to determine the appropriate course of action. Here are the ministry’s responses to questions from Le Mauricien:

Has the Redundancy Board already approved the closure of Concentrix in Mauritius?

No. In accordance with Section 72 of the Workers’ Rights Act 2019, before referring the matter to the Redundancy Board, the employer is required to notify employees of the situation and negotiate with them in an effort to find alternative solutions. Concentrix CVG (Mauritius) Ltd (Concentrix) is currently in the negotiation phase and, if the negotiations fail, the company will have to refer the matter to the Redundancy Board before proceeding with any layoffs linked to a possible closure.

How many employee complaints against the company are currently pending at the ministry?

To date, no employee has filed a formal complaint with the ministry as part of the negotiations related to the potential closure of the company. From 2025 to date, the Rose-Hill Labour Office has received a total of 59 complaints against Concentrix CVG (Mauritius) Ltd, with 21 cases currently being processed.

Is it true that Concentrix representatives never attend when they are summoned to the Labour Office?

No, this is not true. Concentrix has always cooperated with the ministry during investigations carried out following complaints received and when it has been summoned to meetings. It is also common practice for officers from the Ministry of Labour to visit the company’s premises to conduct investigations.

What support does the ministry intend to provide to the 320 employees who will be made redundant?

The ministry has already contacted Concentrix to request all information concerning its workforce, as well as details regarding mandatory contributions, including those to the Portable Retirement Gratuity Fund. Concentrix has until 10 September to provide the requested information.

Section 72 of the Workers’ Rights Act 2019 sets out strict procedures that must be followed, including the employer’s obligation to inform employee representatives and negotiate with them in an effort to find alternative solutions.

The ministry has been informed that there is no recognised trade union and that the employer has asked employees to elect a representative by 11 September 2026 in order to continue with the negotiations. Once the representatives have been elected, the ministry’s Conciliation and Mediation Service will summon all parties to facilitate negotiations and reach a compensation amount that would be acceptable to the workers. If the negotiations fail, the employer will have to refer the matter to the Redundancy Board.

Following any termination of employment contracts, the ministry will ensure that employees benefit from the Workfare Programme Fund, while the ministry’s Employment Division will facilitate the registration of jobseekers to help them find future employment.