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Amazon is reportedly cutting up to 30,000 corporate jobs, marking about 10 % of its white-collar workforce.
The job cuts span multiple divisions, including HR (People Experience & Technology), devices & services, and operations.
The move comes as part of a broader restructuring effort driven by cost control, automation, and post-pandemic over-hiring concerns.
Amazon has initiated one of the most considerable workforce reductions in its history, planning to lay off more than 30,000 corporate employees worldwide. The company, which has around 1.55 million employees worldwide, says these layoffs are just a fraction of its total workforce. The action highlights the tech giant's ongoing efforts to reduce its operations, make them more efficient, and adapt to the market.
However, this wave of Amazon layoffs carries more profound implications beyond simple cost-cutting. Besides, the company’s decision on human resources and productivity reaffirms that tech firms have fundamentally changed their minds. The future of white-collar workers in an AI-powered world becomes doubtful as the global workforce pushes for change, with many wondering what the outcome will be.
Multiple business units are expected to be affected. The human resources department, known as the People Experience & Technology (PXT) group, is likely to see significant reductions of up to 15%. Other centres of impact include the devices & services team, operations, and Amazon’s cloud/tech segments. The cuts follow earlier, smaller reductions across podcasting, communications, and other units over the past two years.
Layoff Training for Managers
Internal sources indicate that the cuts will commence this week, with email notifications to impacted staff. Managers in the targeted teams reportedly underwent ‘layoff communication training’ ahead of the announcements.
The training teaches them how to deliver the news with a proper understanding, manage team reactions, and handle their questions professionally. This step was required to ensure consistency and sensitivity during the process. It also reflects Amazon’s effort to maintain transparency and morale among the widespread job cuts.
Experts point to several factors driving the decision. The company faces higher cost pressures, slowed growth in key segments like cloud computing, and a need to correct what it describes as “overhiring” during the pandemic. CEO Andy Jassy has made reducing decisions and management layers a strategic priority.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has acknowledged that the rapid adoption of generative AI will lead to a reduction in the company's corporate workforce in the upcoming years. He mentioned that although AI will take over some tasks, it will also create new roles related to AI development and strategy.
Jassy encouraged employees to welcome AI, train, and adapt to the evolving technological landscape to retain their relevance and influence in the company.
Although the layoffs are global, their effects might indirectly reach Indian businesses and corporate centers. News outlets signal that this decision relates to Amazon's holiday recruitment phase - 250,000 temporary logistics workers remain unaffected. In the Indian workforce, this move may lead to changes in departments, job functions, and skill expectations, particularly in AI and automation.
The broader industry context indicates that this is not merely a one-off move. Other tech giants, such as Microsoft, Alphabet Inc. (Google), and Meta Platforms, are also laying off employees due to slower growth and increased automation.
Also Read: Tech Layoffs 2025: Why Companies Like Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon Are Cutting Jobs
The recent layoffs at Amazon highlight a drastic transformation toward leaner, AI-driven operations, signaling that the company is not only accounting for economic conditions but also altering its corporate hierarchy. Workers must be able to adapt quickly by learning new skills and technologies to stay relevant in a changing work environment.
For the Indian and worldwide workforce, this transition signals that the company values adaptability and continuous learning, particularly in areas influenced by automation and AI. As technology evolves, the way Amazon manages its workforce might become a benchmark for companies on how to balance efficiency, creativity, and change.
