Premium audio product manufacturer Sonos has laid off several senior executives from its product and design divisions, moving ahead with a larger restructuring plan. The move follows earlier workforce reductions. With this, Sonos aims to flatten management layers, improve execution, and accelerate product development.
Among those laid off was Dana Krieger, Vice President of Design, who spent 12 years at Sonos. The restructuring also affects other experienced leaders across product and user experience teams, raising questions about the company's future product pipeline.
In a memo seen by Bloomberg, Sonos CEO Tom Conrad wrote, “I want a Sonos that moves with more conviction and more velocity. Fewer months in conference rooms. More prototypes in our labs. More decisions made and executed. More exceptional products in the world for our customers.”
The latest changes follow an earlier round of layoffs in June, when Sonos cut around 3% of its workforce. The earlier layoffs mostly involved workers in product, design, and user experience fields.
Sonos is still reeling from the results of its ill-fated decision to introduce a major redesign of its mobile app in 2024. The update was heavily criticized by its clients for its removal of important aspects as well as usability problems. The backlash eroded customer trust and ultimately led to leadership changes.
The departure of some key figures has raised concerns within the industry regarding Sonos’ capacity to continue innovating in the premium smart audio market. But Sonos believes that a reduction in bureaucracy will make product development more efficient and improve collaboration across teams.
The latest restructuring signals that Sonos remains committed to streamlining its business despite concerns over the departure of experienced product leaders. Given the rising level of competition in the connected audio and smart home product market, Sonos hopes that its organizational structure will help it get back on track. The results will be seen in the upcoming quarter.
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