Amazon Slashes 30,000 Jobs in Historic Workforce Overhaul
Amazon is cutting thousands of jobs in one of its largest workforce reductions ever. The company announced an additional 16,000 layoffs, following 14,000 cuts last December. This brings the total to around 30,000 jobs lost since late 2025.
The move comes as the tech giant shifts toward automation and cost-cutting after rapid expansion during the pandemic.
Amazon's workforce grew sharply during COVID-19, peaking at 1.608 million in 2021. Under Beth Galetti, Senior Vice President of People Experience and Technology, the company hired nearly 400,000 workers in just ten months to handle surging demand. But as growth slowed, adjustments began.
By late 2025, Amazon employed about 1.58 million people worldwide. The latest cuts, announced in early 2026, follow a plan set in October 2025 to streamline operations. The company aims to reduce management layers, cut bureaucracy, and rely more on AI and automation.
Affected U.S. employees will receive a 90-day notice with full pay and benefits. They can also apply for other roles within Amazon. Galetti, who joined in 2013 and reshaped HR with data-driven strategies, is leading the restructuring.
Despite job losses, Amazon's logistics and fulfillment centers will keep expanding automation. The trend reflects broader changes in the tech sector, where companies are prioritising efficiency over headcount.
The layoffs leave Amazon with roughly 1.5 million employees, down from its pandemic peak. The company is focusing on long-term efficiency, with automation playing a bigger role in daily operations. Workers facing job cuts will have support during the transition period.
Read also:
- India's Agriculture Minister Reviews Sector Progress Amid Heavy Rains, Crop Areas Up
- Sleep Maxxing Trends and Tips: New Zealanders Seek Better Rest
- Over 1.7M in Baden-Württemberg at Poverty Risk, Emmendingen's Housing Crisis Urgent
- Life Expectancy Soars, But Youth Suicide and Substance Abuse Pose Concern
