Amazon to cut 14,000 corporate jobs

In a significant shift for the retail giant, Amazon has revealed plans to eliminate 14,000 corporate positions, marking one of the largest layoffs in its history. This announcement was made by Beth Galetti, Amazon's senior vice president of people experience and technology, through a blog post. The decision is part of CEO Andy Jassy's ongoing strategy to streamline operations and foster a culture akin to that of a 'startup.' Jassy has emphasized the need for a more efficient and disciplined organizational structure. Over the past few years, Amazon has been actively reducing management layers, cutting down on bureaucracy, and implementing tighter cost controls while revamping performance and compensation systems. These changes gained momentum following the pandemic, which saw a slowdown in Amazon's rapid growth. In response, the company has focused on trimming expenses by discontinuing unprofitable projects and reducing its workforce. Jassy had previously indicated that advancements in AI would also play a role in decreasing the number of employees. Earlier this year, Amazon had already implemented a hiring freeze in its expansive retail sector, followed by layoffs in its cloud computing division, Amazon Web Services, in July. As the company navigates these changes, it continues to prioritize operational efficiency and a return to the office for most of its corporate staff five days a week.