Amazon lays off 16,000 employees

Amazon has confirmed 16,000 additional corporate job cuts, bringing its total workforce reductions to around 30,000 since October, as per a recent report by Reuters. The latest round completes a planned series of layoffs that mark the largest in the company's 30-year history.

The cuts represent nearly 10% of Amazon's corporate staff, though a small fraction of its total 1.58 million employees, most of whom work in warehouses, as per Reuters. In a statement, Amazon's top human resources executive, Beth Galetti, said the reductions were necessary to reduce bureaucracy and increase efficiency. She noted that some teams may continue to "make adjustments as appropriate," leaving open the possibility of further cuts, adds the report.

This is the second major round of layoffs in three months, following 14,000 job cuts announced in October. Amazon has cited multiple reasons for the restructuring, including overhiring during the Covid-19 pandemic, a shift in corporate culture, and the increasing role of AI in automating tasks. The layoffs coincide with the company's closure of its remaining physical Fresh grocery stores and Go markets, and the discontinuation of its Amazon One palm-scanning payment system, according to the report.

Employees across various divisions, including Amazon Web Services, Alexa, and Prime Video, have reportedly been affected. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters on the full scope of the cuts.