Amazon layoffs: Employees learn of job cuts via early Mmorning rexts as 14,000 roles axed globally

PTC Web Desk: In a move that left thousands stunned, Amazon employees across multiple departments woke up to early morning text messages informing them that their positions had been eliminated. The abrupt notifications marked yet another round of layoffs at the tech giant, this time affecting nearly 14,000 workers worldwide.

According to reports, affected employees received two text alerts within minutes of each other. The first urged them to check their personal or work email before arriving at the office, while the second provided a helpline number for those who hadn’t received detailed instructions. The messages were sent immediately after email notifications, a step reportedly taken to prevent employees from showing up to offices where their access badges had already been deactivated.

This latest wave of layoffs has reignited debate over the impersonal nature of job cuts in the tech industry. In recent months, several major corporations, including Google, Meta, and Tesla, have relied on digital alerts to inform staff of terminations, often leaving workers locked out of internal systems without prior warning.

It is learnt Amazon’s decision to use text messages was intended to avoid confusion and uncomfortable scenes at company campuses. The cuts reportedly focused on retail management teams, part of Amazon’s ongoing effort to streamline operations and accelerate innovation amid rising competition and automation trends.

In an internal memo, Beth Galetti, Amazon’s Senior Vice President of HR, acknowledged the difficult decision, assuring employees that the company would provide 90 days of full pay and benefits, along with severance packages and job placement assistance. “We didn’t make these decisions lightly,” Galetti wrote. “Our goal is to support every affected employee through this transition.”

Galetti also highlighted that advances in artificial intelligence are reshaping Amazon’s business model. “AI is the most transformative technology since the Internet,” she said in a blog post. “It’s enabling us to operate more efficiently and innovate faster than ever before.”

The internal communication further clarified that affected employees would immediately enter a non-working period, retaining pay and benefits while being guided on how to return equipment and collect personal items through internal tools such as the A to Z app and MyHR.

The layoffs come as Amazon gears up for what analysts predict will be a record-breaking holiday season, potentially exceeding $140 billion in sales. However, the company continues to face pressure to cut costs and adapt to an AI-driven business landscape.

Despite assurances from Amazon’s leadership, the sudden, digital nature of the layoffs has drawn criticism for being cold and corporate, underscoring the human toll behind big tech’s quest for efficiency.