Amazon is reportedly planning to lay off approximately 10,000 of its workforce in corporate and technology roles beginning this week, a media reported. According to The New York Times, the cuts will target Amazon's devices organisation, which includes the voice assistant Alexa, as well as its retail division and human resources. The total number of layoffs is yet to be determined, but if it is around 10,000, it would represent about 3 per cent of Amazon's corporate employees and less than 1 per cent of its global workforce of more than 1.5 million, which is primarily composed of hourly workers, said the report.
Soon after the news went viral, netizens hopped to Twitter and expressed disappointment over the news. A user said, "Layoffs Everywhere, After Twitter, Microsoft, Meta and now it's Amazon to layoff 10,000 employees starting this week. Tough times." Another said, "Kahan jaaye ab hum? Tum hi bta do?" A third user said, "Amazon started layoffs, we are in end game now!" Several users also hinted at the recession period, which they feel is on it way and the layoffs are a part of it.
Amazon will also become the latest technology company to lay off employees, which only recently, it had been fighting to retain. Earlier this year, the e-commerce giant more than doubled the cash compensation cap for its tech employees, citing "a particularly competitive labour market", according to the report.
Changing business models and an uncertain economy have resulted in layoffs across the tech industry.
Elon Musk cut Twitter's headcount in half after purchasing the company earlier this month, and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced last week that it was laying off 11,000 employees, or roughly 13 per cent of its workforce.
Moreover, many Indian startups have laid off hundreds of employees in the wake of a decline in funding and investment, including Byju's, Ola and Unacademy.
(With IANS inputs)
