Sam Amico
It’s been a rough year for the tech industry, especially for the likes of giants such as Amazon.
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On Monday, the company announced another 9.000 layoffs, joining Facebook and others that have already made massive cuts in 2023.
This is the second round of layoffs for Amazon since the first of the year, too. CEO Andy Jassy announced the most recent cuts in a statement to staff members.
“As we’ve just concluded the second phase of our operating plan (“OP2”) this past week, I’m writing to share that we intend to eliminate about 9,000 more positions in the next few weeks — mostly in AWS, PXT, Advertising, and Twitch,” Jassy wrote. “This was a difficult decision, but one that we think is best for the company long term.”
The uncertainty surrounding the economy played a major role in the layoffs, Jassy added.
Amazon to Lay Off 9,000 Employees
“For several years leading up to this one, most of our businesses added a significant amount of headcount. This made sense given what was happening in our businesses and the economy as a whole,” he wrote. “However, given the uncertain economy in which we reside, and the uncertainty that exists in the near future, we have chosen to be more streamlined in our costs and headcount. The overriding tenet of our annual planning this year was to be leaner while doing so in a way that enables us to still invest robustly in the key long-term customer experiences that we believe can meaningfully improve customers’ lives and Amazon as a whole.”
While Amazon is making the cuts, Jassy added that he is still optimistic about the company and its “largest businesses,” such as retail and the Amazon Web Services. The company also intends to invest in new divisions.
“To those ultimately impacted by these reductions, I want to thank you for the work you have done on behalf of customers and the company,” he concluded. “It’s never easy to say goodbye to our teammates, and you will be missed. To those who will continue with us, I look forward to partnering with you as we make life easier for customers every day and relentlessly inventing to do so.”
Twitter also underwent major staffing changes, mostly the result of new owner Elon Musk wanting to give the platform a different feel.
