Amazon to cut 10,000 jobs

Amazon is the latest multinational to cut its workforce among global economic uncertainty

The company employs around 5,000 people in Ireland alone. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

Amazon is reportedly planning to lay off 10,000 employees this week.

The layoffs are set to target the devices group, including the one responsible for the Alexa voice assistant, along with the retail division and human resources, according to a New York Times report.

The company has not yet said if Irish employees will be impacted by the job cuts.

The company employs around 5,000 people in Ireland alone.

The New York Times reported that the cuts would be the largest ever for the e-commerce giant.

Last week, the Wall St Journal also reported that Amazon has decided to slim down its unprofitable business units as the slowdown in the global tech sector gains momentum.

Prior to these reports, Amazon recently announced plans to freeze hiring for corporate roles across its locations in an effort to cut costs.

Last month, the Seattle-based company predicted that the holiday sales period would be the slowest in its history, spooking Wall Street and tanking the shares.

The world’s largest online retailer has spent much of this year adjusting to a sharp slowdown in e-commerce growth as shoppers resumed pre-pandemic habits. 

Amazon delayed warehouse openings and froze hiring in the retail group.

Amazon’s CEO Andy Jassy has vowed to streamline operations amid slowing sales growth and economic uncertainty.

In recent weeks, Jassy has turned his attention to the corporate group, closing several businesses, including a telehealth service, and killing experimental projects, such as a delivery robot and a kids’ video-calling device.

-Additional reporting by Bloomberg