Amazon, the online retail giant, has announced its intention to reduce its global workforce by 16,000 employees. The company did not specify the exact locations where these job cuts would occur, but reports suggest that the impact on the UK operations may be limited. It is anticipated that positions in Amazon Web Services, retail, Prime Video, and human resources will be among those affected.
This downsizing initiative follows a previous announcement last October when Amazon, led by billionaire Jeff Bezos with a net worth of £180 billion, revealed plans to lay off 14,000 employees.
Beth Galetti, Amazon’s Senior Vice President of People Experience and Technology, addressed the staff, acknowledging the challenging news and explaining the reasons behind the decision. Galetti stated that approximately 16,000 roles across Amazon would be impacted by the current round of layoffs, emphasizing the company’s commitment to supporting affected employees.
In a gesture towards US employees, Amazon is offering a 90-day period to seek new internal positions for those affected, with severance pay provided for those who do not secure alternative roles.
Galetti reassured employees that while changes were being made, Amazon would continue to hire and invest in critical areas essential for the company’s future growth. She emphasized the ongoing evaluation of team efficiency and customer-centric innovation, highlighting the dynamic nature of the business landscape and the need for adaptability.
Despite an apparent premature communication regarding the layoffs to employees in the Amazon Web Services division, the company swiftly corrected the error. A message sent by Colleen Aubrey, Senior Vice President of Applied AI Solutions at AWS, inaccurately informed impacted employees in the US, Canada, and Costa Rica of their job loss before the official announcement was made.
The incident led to the cancellation of a planned meeting, causing confusion among AWS employees. Amazon reiterated its commitment to navigating changes in the business environment and optimizing operations to meet evolving customer needs.