Amazon’s Extensive Layoffs Announced
In October, Amazon disclosed a sweeping reduction of 14,000 corporate positions, marking its most significant workforce contraction in three years.
This wave of layoffs has permeated various sectors within the company, affecting cloud computing, devices, advertising, retail, and grocery operations.
Among the numerous job categories impacted, engineers faced the most substantial reductions.
As reported by CNBC, which referenced official documents submitted in New York, California, New Jersey, and Washington, engineering roles constituted approximately 40% of the nearly 4,700 job cuts across these states.
Amazon’s layoffs, aligned with similar actions taken by several major technology firms, were detailed in Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) filings submitted to state agencies.
The WARN data indicates that the layoffs at Amazon have impacted various levels of software engineers, with a notable disproportionate effect on mid-level Software Development Engineers II (SDE II).
This decision comes despite a memo from HR chief Beth Galetti, who emphasised the pressing need for engineers as the company adapts to operate with a streamlined workforce.
“This generation of AI is the most transformative technology we’ve seen since the Internet, and it’s enabling companies to innovate much faster than ever before,” Galetti articulated in her communication.
Furthermore, she stated, “We’re convinced that we need to be organised more leanly, with fewer layers and more ownership, to move as quickly as possible for our customers and business.”
According to the CNBC report, citing WARN data, over 500 product and program managers were also laid off following the October announcement, constituting more than 10% of the total reductions.
Additionally, roles at the senior manager and principal levels were similarly eliminated as part of the restructuring process at Amazon.
Overview of Affected Workforce
In October, Amazon revealed its intention to eliminate 14,000 job roles across its various divisions.
Given Amazon’s corporate workforce of approximately 350,000 employees, the recently announced cuts represent about 4% of its total personnel.
“The reductions we’re sharing today are a continuation of this work to get even stronger by further reducing bureaucracy, removing layers, and shifting resources to ensure we’re investing in our biggest bets and what matters most to our customers’ current and future needs,” said Beth Galetti, senior vice president of people experience and technology at Amazon, in a blog post.
CEO Andy Jassy has consistently reiterated his commitment to minimising management layers and alleviating the bureaucratic challenges that emerged following a hiring surge during the pandemic.
Source link: Livemint.com.
