Amazon reportedly laid off nearly 250 employees across its devices and services units on Wednesday, weeks after rolling out new Kindle e-readers and tablet computers. According to a Reuters report, employees were informed of the job cuts through text messages and emails sent early Wednesday morning.
One message reviewed by Reuters was from Cherie Robinson, a human resources vice president in Amazon’s devices and services division, who said the company had conducted “a thorough review of our structure”, resulting in the need for job cuts.
Amazon confirmed the layoffs in response to a Reuters inquiry. “We’ve made the difficult decision to eliminate a small number of roles,” a company spokesperson told the news agency. The cuts affected no more than 250 employees, primarily in software development, according to a person familiar with the matter cited by Reuters.
Also Read | Layoffs Are Rising In Tech, But These Skills Are Helping People Unlock Better Pay
The spokesperson said the layoffs would help Amazon “operate more efficiently and better align with our product roadmap”.
The job cuts come as Amazon continues to roll out new products. The timing drew attention as the layoffs coincided with the company’s announcement on Wednesday of a new Alexa-powered alarm clock and photo frame.
Earlier this month, Amazon cut about 1,000 jobs in its core retail division, which operates its main e-commerce platform. The company described the reductions as a “small number” of roles.
Employees in the US, India and the UK were among those affected, while some staff wondered whether employees in Mexico and other parts of Europe had also been impacted, Reuters reported. The latest cuts come after Amazon announced in January this year that it would eliminate 16,000 jobs across the company.
The company is scheduled to report its third-quarter earnings after the market closes on Thursday.
ALSO READ: Innodata Layoffs: Nearly 550 Jobs Cut In India As Employees Lose Access To Laptops, IDs
Essential Business Intelligence,
Sharp Market Insights,
Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
