Amazon Has Begun Another Round of Layoffs, Expected to Affect 9,000 Employees Overall Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said the company had decided to "be more streamlined in our costs and headcount" because of the "uncertain economy."

By Gabrielle Bienasz

Key Takeaways

  • Amazon CEO Andy Jassy is on a cost-cutting spree.

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Andy Jassy, chief executive officer of Amazon.

Update: Amazon kicked off more of its previously announced layoffs this week.

"It is a tough day across our organization," AWS CEO Adam Selipsky wrote to staff, per internal memos published by CNBC. "We are working hard to treat everyone impacted with respect," he added.

The company also announced it was ending sales of the Halo fitness wearable.

The most recent layoffs reportedly affect human resources and other departments, including Amazon Web Services (AWS). This is despite the cloud computing arm "easily" ranking as one of the company's biggest money-makers, according to Gizmodo.

Original story below:

On Monday, Amazon's CEO Andy Jassy told employees the company would lay off around 9,000 more people, per CNBC.

"I'm writing to share that we intend to eliminate about 9,000 more positions in the next few weeks," Jassy wrote in a memo that was also posted online.

"This was a difficult decision, but one that we think is best for the company long term," he added.

Related: Amazon to Layoff 18,000 Employees, Largest Cut in Company History: 'We'll Be Inventive, Resourceful, and Scrappy'

Amazon announced in early January it would lay off about 18,000 employees. As Bloomberg noted, the layoffs began in late 2022 but were reported, at first, to only be job cuts of about 10,000 people.

This additional cut of 9,000 comes amid waves of layoffs at other big tech companies like Google and Meta as they wrestle with changes in consumer habits post-pandemic.

Related: 'Make Lists' of People to Let Go, Meta Tells Directors Ahead of Another Mass Layoff — Here's When It Will Happen

Jassy said the company had decided to "be more streamlined in our costs and headcount" because of the "uncertain economy."

The CEO also said that this round of layoffs was not included in the January announcement because the teams were still finishing their analyses.

"The impacted teams are not yet finished making final decisions on precisely which roles will be impacted," he added.

The roles being eliminated should be finalized by the end of April. Amazon will provide employees things like "separation payment, transitional health insurance benefits, and external job placement support," the memo said.

Gabrielle Bienasz is a staff writer at Entrepreneur. She previously worked at Insider and Inc. Magazine. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

She Quit Her Job at Trader Joe's After Starting a Side Hustle With $800 — Then She and Her Brother Grew the Business to $20 Million

Jaime Holm and Matt Hannula teamed up to build a business in an industry that "didn't exist" yet.

Buying / Investing in Business

Former Zillow Execs Target $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Growing a Business

This Local Bakery Has Lines Out the Door. Here Are the Secrets to Its Success.

Known for its viral flat croissants and innovative desserts, Alexander's Patisserie also excels in hands-on leadership and team culture.

Business News

Nissan Is Doubling Its Initial Layoff Announcement, Cutting 20,000 Jobs: 'A Wake-Up Call'

The automaker is dealing with slowing sales and a recent failed merger with Honda.

Business News

'The Worst Time of My Life': $100 Million Deli Fraudster Sentenced to Prison

North Carolina businessman Peter Coker Sr. faces prison time and massive fines for his part in a scheme to defraud investors.