Amazon is reportedly preparing for another major workforce reduction. Signs from the company and official notices suggest that job cuts may take place in late January 2026. These expected job cuts follow months of structural changes in the organisation, which have seen several rounds of job cuts. Reports suggest that the job losses could reach up to 30,000 masses being ripped off from their existing roles. Employees within the organisation have been very restless, especially in corporate roles, where management seems to be hinting at even more changes. Leaks suggest that the employees in human resources, support, and programme management roles could be at the heart of job losses at Amazon, especially since they have adopted very efficient strategies in terms of automation.
According to employee discussions on platforms such as Blind and Reddit, Amazon may start a fresh round of layoffs around January 27, 2026. Estimates suggest that as many as 16,000 employees could be impacted in this phase alone. This would push the total number of jobs cut over recent months close to 30,000. The reports follow a Reuters story from October which claimed Amazon was planning to reduce its workforce by roughly the same number, with an initial round of cuts already completed.
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Some Amazon employees also reported that the managers and senior leaders have hinted internally that layoffs are coming. Moreover, several posts claim that workers placed on performance improvement plans may receive advance notice ahead of wider announcements. While these details remain unconfirmed, they have added to anxiety across the company.
Earlier this month, a report also stated that between 1,000 and 2,000 Amazon employees have received official WARN notices for layoffs that are expected around January 26. Under US law, such notices are required when large job cuts are planned. These notices have further strengthened the belief that layoffs are close and may affect offices outside the United States as well, including in India.
While previous job cuts seem to have primarily focused on retail and store employees within Amazon’s warehouses, the upcoming job cuts are expected to impact the corporate roles more heavily. The section likely to receive job cuts is Amazon’s in-house human resources section, which belongs to their People Experience and Technology division. It is understood that Amazon is increasing its usage of technological systems, leading to a reduction in their administrative teams.
There are also reports that some roles at Amazon Web Services (AWS) will also be affected. Support and programme management positions are expected to see the most cuts. Although AWS remains profitable, Amazon is shifting resources toward long-term investments and tighter cost control.
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Amazon has not denied that automation is changing how work is done. CEO Andy Jassy has spoken openly about reducing management layers and improving efficiency. Over the past year, employees have seen teams merged, roles removed, and higher expectations placed on smaller groups, reflecting a broader shift in how the company operates.