The New Year has just commenced, yet thousands of tech and startup employees have lost their jobs. According to Layoffs.fyi, 48 tech companies have terminated 7,528 employees as of January 15. These tech Layoffs suggest another challenging year for the tech industry, having endured severe mass layoffs in 2023 due to economic turmoil.
Tech Industry Faces Ongoing Challenges
The tech layoffs at the beginning of 2024 signal a potentially challenging year for the industry after tens of thousands were laid off last year. In 2023, over 260,000 people were collectively fired by more than 1,150 tech companies. Big Tech players like Google and Amazon aim to further reduce costs through additional job cuts this year. In 2024, Frontdesk, the online rental platform, made history as the first tech startup to carry out tech layoffs by terminating its entire 200-person workforce in a “two-minute Google call.”
So far in 2024, companies that have announced layoffs include:
Google Announces Tech Layoffs
Alphabet’s Google is laying off hundreds of staff in its digital assistant, hardware, and engineering teams, as confirmed by a Google spokesperson who stated,
“Some teams are continuing to make these kinds of organizational changes, which include some role eliminations globally.”
Amazon Company Audible Cuts 5% Workforce
Audible, the online audiobook and podcast service, is laying off approximately 5% of its workforce. In a memo to employees, Audible CEO Bob Carrigan conveyed that while the company is in good shape, it confronts an “increasingly challenging landscape.”
Amazon Prime Video Plans Tech Layoffs in Amazon Ning and Studio Operations
Amazon reveals plans to lay off several hundred employees in its Amazon Ning and studio operations, as stated in an internal note. The staff at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios in the Americas facing exit will be notified soon.
Twitch to Cut Workforce by 35%
Bloomberg News reports that Twitch, Amazon’s streaming platform, will reduce its workforce by 35%, impacting about 500 workers. This decision follows the tech layoffs of over 400 employees in March 2023 due to unmet user and revenue growth expectations.
Discord Announces Tech Layoffs
Discord, the social chat and messaging startup, informed employees on January 11 about a workforce reduction of 17%. Approximately 170 jobs will be affected by these tech layoffs, as revealed in an internal memo from founder and CEO Jason Citron.
Unity Software Slashes Workforce
Videogame software provider Unity Software has announced a workforce reduction of approximately 25%, impacting 1,800 jobs, according to a regulatory filing. Interim CEO Jim Whitehurst, in a memo to employees, stated,
“We are … reducing the number of things we are doing in order to focus on our core business and drive our long-term success and profitability.”
Xerox Announces Workforce Reduction of 15%
IT company Xerox, on January 3, disclosed plans to reduce its workforce by 15%, affecting about 3,000 employees. This move is part of introducing a new organizational structure and operating model, with the layoffs expected to take place in the first quarter of 2024.
Frontdesk Fires Entire Workforce
US-based proptech company Frontdesk has terminated all 200 employees. CEO Jesse DePinto broke the news during a two-minute Google Meet call, mentioning that the company opted for state receivership instead of declaring bankruptcy.
Also Read: Google Layoffs 2024: Hundreds of Employees Fired, Voice Assistant and Hardware Teams Hit Hard
