Amazon lays off employees in Books division as part of cost-cutting plan

Business Standard

a day ago

Amazon has announced a new round of job cuts, this time affecting its Books division. Fewer than 100 employees have been let go, including staff from Kindle operations and the popular book review platform, Goodreads.
The company told Reuters the decision was aimed at improving efficiency and aligning with its long-term goals. 'We've made the difficult decision to eliminate a small number of roles within the Books organisation,' said an Amazon spokesperson. They added that the cuts were part of broader efforts to streamline operations.
This is not the first time Amazon has reduced its workforce in recent months. Earlier layoffs have impacted several departments, such as the devices and services team, Wondery podcast unit, and its stores and communications staff.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has been open about reducing 'unnecessary layers of management and internal bureaucracy.' His goal is to make the company more responsive and efficient in the face of changing economic conditions.
Despite the job cuts, Amazon added around 4,000 roles in the first quarter of 2025. The latest round of layoffs was first reported by Business Insider, suggesting Amazon is continuing to make targeted changes to its workforce as part of its long-term strategy.
P&G also announces major job cuts
Meanwhile, Procter & Gamble (P&G) has also revealed plans to reduce its workforce by around 7,000 jobs — about 6 per cent of its total staff — over the next two years. This is part of a wider restructuring programme aimed at tackling uneven consumer demand and increased costs caused by tariff uncertainties.
During the Deutsche Bank Consumer Conference in Paris, P&G executives mentioned they would also exit some product categories and brands in specific markets. The company said this restructuring could involve certain divestitures, though no specific details were shared.
Wider job cuts across tech industry
The tech sector continues to face widespread layoffs. According to layoff tracker Trueup, over 62,000 employees have lost their jobs across 284 companies during the first five months of 2025. Companies like Google, Microsoft, and Intel have all announced significant job reductions.
In May 2025 alone, more than 16,000 tech workers were laid off. The report also noted that nearly 240,000 tech employees lost their jobs in 2024. Analysts suggest that global economic uncertainty, high interest rates, inflation, and over-hiring during the pandemic are key reasons for the ongoing job cuts. Many companies are now focused on "right-sizing" their teams to match current levels of demand.
Microsoft, Meta Google restructure workforces
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently addressed the issue in a company Town Hall. According to reports, Nadella explained that the latest layoffs were part of a 'reorganisation rather than performance'.
Google has also steadily reduced its workforce throughout 2025. In May alone, the company laid off around 200 people from its Global Business Organisation. Earlier, roles were cut from its Pixel hardware, Android, Chrome, and Google Cloud teams. These changes are reportedly linked to automation and a shift in business priorities.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is also expected to lay off around 3,600 employees in 2025. The company stated that this is part of a performance-based restructuring initiative.