New Delhi | Amazon is preparing for another major round of layoffs, with around 14,000 corporate jobs expected to be cut beginning next week, marking the company’s second large workforce reduction since October 2025. With this phase, Amazon’s total planned job cuts will rise to nearly 30,000 roles, making it the largest layoff exercise in the company’s three-decade history.
The upcoming reductions are expected to mirror the scale of the October layoffs, when the company trimmed roughly 14,000 white-collar positions. Employees across multiple divisions — including cloud services, retail operations, streaming content, and the human resources function — are likely to be affected, according to reports citing people familiar with the matter.
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While earlier layoffs were initially linked to the growing impact of artificial intelligence on work processes, Amazon has since reframed the narrative. The company has indicated that the fresh round of cuts is not primarily driven by cost pressures or automation, but by an internal push to reshape organisational culture, reduce layers of management and eliminate what it sees as excessive bureaucracy.
The move represents nearly 10% of Amazon’s corporate workforce, which stands at about 350,000 employees globally. However, it accounts for less than 2% of the company’s total workforce of roughly 1.58 million, most of whom are employed in warehouses, delivery networks and fulfilment centres.
The timing of the layoffs has drawn attention, as Amazon continues to post strong financial and operational performance. Internally, the company has acknowledged that the decision may appear contradictory at a time when business metrics remain healthy. However, the leadership has stressed that staying competitive requires operating with leaner teams, fewer hierarchies and clearer ownership of decisions.
As part of the restructuring, Amazon is attempting to flatten its organisational structure, a shift that has included a strict five-day-a-week in-office mandate, one of the toughest return-to-office policies in the global technology sector. The company had expected this move to trigger higher voluntary attrition, but that outcome reportedly fell short of expectations, prompting more direct workforce reductions.
Employees impacted in the October round were given a 90-day window to apply for internal roles or seek external opportunities, a transition period that expires this week. Amazon is expected to offer similar support to those affected by the upcoming layoffs, including severance packages, career transition assistance and extended health benefits.
The company has also introduced an anonymous internal feedback system to identify inefficiencies and procedural bottlenecks. According to internal communications, the initiative has generated over 1,500 responses, leading to hundreds of process changes aimed at simplifying workflows and reducing redundant approvals.
Industry analysts say Amazon’s evolving messaging — first highlighting AI-driven transformation and later emphasising cultural reform — reflects the broader challenge tech giants face in balancing innovation with workforce stability. Many large technology firms have announced layoffs over the past two years, even while investing heavily in artificial intelligence, automation and new digital services.
Critics argue that repeated restructuring creates uncertainty among employees and risks long-term morale, while supporters say such measures are necessary to maintain agility in a rapidly changing market. The latest cuts also underscore a shift across the tech industry, where companies are increasingly prioritising efficiency and speed over scale.
For Amazon employees, the coming weeks are likely to bring heightened anxiety as teams await clarity on who will be affected. For the wider industry, the move reinforces a growing trend: even the world’s most powerful technology companies are willing to make deep workforce cuts, not because business is slowing, but because they believe leaner organisations are better equipped for the future.
As the layoffs unfold, attention will remain on how Amazon balances its drive for cultural reset with employee confidence — and whether the restructuring delivers the agility the company says it is seeking.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
