The cuts affect thousands of corporate roles and signal continued cost-cutting at the tech giant
This is Amazon’s second major workforce reduction in four months
Amazon layoffs have expanded globally, with the company announcing plans to cut 16,000 corporate jobs across the United States, the United Kingdom, and India, according to reports citing internal communications.
The latest round of job cuts was confirmed on Wednesday and marks Amazon’s second significant layoff since October, when it eliminated around 14,000 positions. The reductions primarily impact corporate and technology-focused teams, rather than its vast frontline workforce.
The move follows similar workforce reductions across major global companies, including UPS lays off 30,000 employees
Internal Slack messages, reviewed by media outlets, indicated that employees in multiple countries have already been notified. Business Insider reported that the affected roles span several key business units, underscoring the breadth of the restructuring.
Teams and roles affected by the layoffs
According to the report, teams within Amazon Web Services (AWS) are among those impacted. These include groups working on the Bedrock AI cloud service, the Redshift cloud data warehouse, and the ProServe consulting division.
Retail-related teams have also been hit, including the Prime subscription business and the company’s last-mile Delivery Experience organisation. Many of the employees seeking new opportunities internally are software engineers, as reflected in messages posted on internal Slack channels asking for job leads.
Support measures for affected employees
Amazon stated that most US-based employees impacted by the layoffs will be given a 90-day period to apply for other roles within the company. Those who are unable to secure a new position, or who choose not to pursue one, will be eligible for severance packages and continued health insurance coverage.
The company employs more than 1.5 million people globally, though its corporate workforce represents a smaller share, estimated at around 350,000 employees.
Layoff details surfaced prematurely
Details of the planned job cuts reportedly emerged earlier than intended after a calendar invitation sent on behalf of a senior Amazon executive appeared to inadvertently disclose information about the layoffs.
The latest Amazon layoffs highlight ongoing efforts by the company to streamline operations amid economic uncertainty and rising pressure on large tech firms to control costs.