CNN🔴 Concerning
Amazon says it didn’t cut 14,000 people because of money. It cut them because of ‘culture’
Published: November 1, 2025•Updated: November 2, 2025
📹 Supporting Content
This video provides additional context and supports the ideas discussed in this article
🎯 Impact Sentiment: Concerning
📋 Summary
- Amazon is cutting 14,000 employees, not due to financial strain or AI, but to address company "culture" and reduce layers of management.
- CEO Andy Jassy claims that recent company expansion led to excess headcount, which diluted personal ownership and slowed decision-making.
- Amazon aims to operate more like a startup by streamlining teams, staying nimble ahead of anticipated future AI impacts.
- Despite the layoffs, Amazon's strong revenue growth and rising stock price signal that the layoffs are more about internal strategy than immediate financial pressure.
💡 JR Insights
- 💼 Implication: Even companies reporting strong growth are willing to make significant cuts in the name of efficiency, signaling that tenure isn’t a safeguard if leadership thinks “culture” needs a reset.
- 🚨 Risk: Employees, even high performers, are at risk if their roles are judged to add unnecessary layers—even when a job isn’t directly threatened by automation or budget cuts.
- ✨ Takeaway: Culture-driven layoffs can hit without warning and aren’t always about performance—agility and visible impact are more crucial than ever for job security in big tech.