Amazon India Layoffs: Employee Distress and Reactions

A viral Reddit discussion has highlighted the alarming unease among Amazon India employees as layoffs continue to affect the organisation. An anonymous commenter stated that almost 75% of their team was let go, resulting in a workplace characterised by tension, emotional turmoil, and a significant lack of motivation.

The shared post in a news forum depicts an office atmosphere marked by anxiety and despair, as employees are reportedly summoned to private rooms to receive termination notices. The individual shared that despite having survived the most recent cuts, they felt a complete lack of motivation, noting that the emotional burden had become too heavy to bear.

According to the original poster, the shock of seeing colleagues lose their jobs compelled the employee to leave the workplace earlier than usual and purchase several bottles of beer to cope with the situation. The post indicated that there were frequent tears in the office, capturing the distress that many employees are facing amidst the ongoing uncertainty.

The commenter described this period as even more taxing than previous high-pressure times at the company, asserting that what used to be an arduous “pip-azon” grind has transformed into something far more challenging.

Impact of the Layoffs on Mental Health

The heartfelt account reveals the psychological repercussions of the current wave of tech layoffs, especially within India’s competitive corporate environment where Amazon is considered one of the top employers.

Netizens’ Reactions

While the company has yet to officially respond to these claims, the post has ignited an extensive conversation regarding job security, mental well-being, and the extensive effects of restructuring within global tech corporations.

One user questioned why major layoffs are occurring despite strong earnings, stating that a good job following good profits seems absent, replaced instead by abrupt terminations.

In response to this, another commenter remarked that this reflects the modern MBA approach, where tools like Lean Six Sigma are employed to enhance quarterly earnings instead of improving efficiency.

A third user suggested that the layoffs could be partly performance-based and influenced by artificial intelligence, indicating that offshoring efforts might continue to target regions beyond India, such as Mexico and South America, which are viewed as more favourable.

Another commenter voiced concerns about the reliance on artificial intelligence, expressing apprehension over the blind faith some CEOs have in it, which poses a significant threat to employees.

Amazon Layoffs in India

Reports suggest that Amazon India is set to lay off between 800 and 1,000 corporate employees as part of its global workforce reduction strategy. This decision aligns with a larger restructuring initiative aimed at streamlining operations and re-aligning teams in accordance with changing business objectives, as noted by The New Indian Express.

These layoffs will primarily impact corporate and support roles, with frontline logistics or retail staff remaining largely untouched. Amazon India has a significant workforce across tech and corporate sectors in cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Gurugram. Employees affected by these layoffs are anticipated to receive full pay and benefits for approximately 90 days, severance packages, and the potential for internal redeployment opportunities.