Amazon to cut 18,000 jobs as tech layoffs continue
Amazon has announced that it will "cut" more than 18,000 jobs from the company, extending a previously announced round of layoffs that was expected to affect some 10,000 workers.
The announcement is significant in terms of the number of people affected, despite representing only 1.2% of Amazon's 1.5 million global employees.
In a memo to employees early this morning, CEO Andy Jassy said that in addition to the roles affected in his Devices and Books businesses when he was previously announced in November, the majority of roles impacted by the latest cuts will be in its People, Experience, and Technology (PXT) and Amazon Stores businesses.
The news comes just a day after Salesforce announced it was cutting approximately 10% of its workforce, affecting more than 7,000 employees, and continuing a trend that has seen countless companies downsize throughout 2022 to counter the headwinds of the economy. Data from layoff tracking website Layoffs.fyi suggests tech companies cut more than 150,000 jobs in 2022.
Today's announcement was apparently made earlier than Amazon expected after a Wall Street Journal report obtained preliminary details via a leak, which is why Amazon said that he had not yet informed those who would be affected - but he plans to do so from January 18.
"We generally wait to communicate these results until we can speak with those directly affected," Jassy wrote. "However, as one of our teammates leaked this information to the outside, we decided it was best to share this news sooner so you can hear the details directly from me."
It also means that Amazon has yet to announce what kind of severance benefits it will provide, although Jassy has said it will provide "severance pay, transitional health insurance benefits, and external placement assistance".
Amazon has announced that it will "cut" more than 18,000 jobs from the company, extending a previously announced round of layoffs that was expected to affect some 10,000 workers.
The announcement is significant in terms of the number of people affected, despite representing only 1.2% of Amazon's 1.5 million global employees.
In a memo to employees early this morning, CEO Andy Jassy said that in addition to the roles affected in his Devices and Books businesses when he was previously announced in November, the majority of roles impacted by the latest cuts will be in its People, Experience, and Technology (PXT) and Amazon Stores businesses.
The news comes just a day after Salesforce announced it was cutting approximately 10% of its workforce, affecting more than 7,000 employees, and continuing a trend that has seen countless companies downsize throughout 2022 to counter the headwinds of the economy. Data from layoff tracking website Layoffs.fyi suggests tech companies cut more than 150,000 jobs in 2022.
Today's announcement was apparently made earlier than Amazon expected after a Wall Street Journal report obtained preliminary details via a leak, which is why Amazon said that he had not yet informed those who would be affected - but he plans to do so from January 18.
"We generally wait to communicate these results until we can speak with those directly affected," Jassy wrote. "However, as one of our teammates leaked this information to the outside, we decided it was best to share this news sooner so you can hear the details directly from me."
It also means that Amazon has yet to announce what kind of severance benefits it will provide, although Jassy has said it will provide "severance pay, transitional health insurance benefits, and external placement assistance".
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