Amazon has confirmed plans to lay off 16,000 employees worldwide, expanding a major restructuring programme it first announced in October. At that time, the technology and e-commerce giant had already indicated that about 14,000 roles would be eliminated.
According to Beth Galetti, Amazon’s Senior Vice President, the latest round of job cuts is part of a broader effort to streamline the company’s operations.
She explained that the restructuring is focused on:
• Reducing management layers
• Increasing individual ownership and accountability
• Cutting internal bureaucracy
Scale and Impact
Media reports in October suggested that Amazon’s total planned layoffs — estimated at around 30,000 jobs — could affect nearly 10 percent of its corporate workforce, which is made up of roughly 350,000 office employees.
The reports also noted that the cuts would not affect warehouse and delivery staff, who form the majority of Amazon’s 1.5 million global employees.
Amazon had declined to comment on those reports at the time, which linked the restructuring to rising costs and increased investment in artificial intelligence and automation.
No Departmental Breakdown Yet
In its latest update, Amazon did not specify which departments or regions would be affected by the additional 16,000 job cuts. The company said only that teams would continue reviewing their structure to improve speed, efficiency, and innovation for customers.
Financial Update Ahead
Amazon is expected to provide further insight into its business performance and strategic direction when it releases its full-year 2025 financial results on February 6. The announcement will be followed by a live-streamed conference call with investors and analysts.
The layoffs place Amazon among several global tech companies that have reduced staff in recent years amid economic uncertainty and shifting priorities toward automation and AI-driven growth.
Source: Africa Publicity
