Laid off, then laid off again: Why Big Tech's job cuts come in waves

For employees who survive a round of layoffs, the relief can be short-lived. Colleagues leave, teams are reshuffled and responsibilities change. Even after the immediate uncertainty passes, one question lingers: could another round be around the corner?"I thought I was safe when my team survived the first round. Then, a few months later, another restructuring began. People I worked with were asked to leave, projects were put on hold and nobody knew which team would be affected next. Even if your job is not cut, you start wondering how much longer you have," an Amazon employee requesting anonymity said.This uncertainty is becoming familiar across Big Tech. Amazon, Meta, Oracle, Uber and other companies have announced workforce reductions at different points in 2026. The pattern raises a larger question: why do companies announce layoffs in waves instead of making all their cuts at once?WHY DO LAYOFFS COME IN WAVES?Repeated layoffs do not always mean a company is facing a fresh financial crisis. They can be part of a larger restructuring carried out in phases, or reflect changing priorities across business units, says Sristi Narzary, who works in HR at Deloitte USI. "In some cases, companies announce broad cost-cutting or restructuring programmes but implement them in phases across different departments and locations," she says.Narzary further added: "In other cases, individual business units independently reduce staff because of changing business priorities, declining demand for certain products or overlapping roles." Laid off, then laid off again — why Big Tech’s job cuts come in waves (AI-generated) Amazon’s cuts illustrate this. The company announced 16,000 corporate job cuts in January, following around 14,000 reductions in October 2025. The January cuts partly completed a restructuring that had begun months earlier. Some teams completed their changes in October, while others finished only in January.The company has since announced further reductions, including up to 250 jobs last week, adding to nearly 1,000 cuts earlier in October.But not every new round is part of an earlier plan. A product may be discontinued, demand may fall or investment may shift to another division.Meta announced plans in April-May to eliminate around 8,000 jobs, or 10 per cent of its global workforce, after multiple rounds of cuts. Oracle cut approximately 21,000 employees globally in the 12 months to May 2026, while Uber announced plans to cut around 3,300 jobs in September. Workday announced around 500 job cuts that month, its second round in 2026.Across technology, finance, retail and manufacturing, around 1.76 lakh job cuts were reported between January 1 and September 23. Laid off, then laid off again — why Big Tech’s job cuts come in waves (AI-generated) WHY COMPANIES CUT JOBS EVEN WHEN BUSINESS IS GROWINGA company’s financial performance does not always determine its hiring decisions. Even when revenue is growing, it may cut jobs to improve margins, raise productivity or shift investment towards future priorities.Sanjyog Dowerah, a senior manager at a global FMCG company, says quarterly results and workforce decisions operate on different timelines. He clarifies that his views are personal and do not represent his organisation."Quarterly results tell us how the business has performed; workforce decisions often reflect where leadership believes capital, capabilities and resources need to move next," he says.However, reducing headcount does not automatically make a business more effective."Reducing headcount may improve efficiency on paper, but it does not automatically make an organisation more effective," Dowerah says.Cuts cannot resolve problems caused by outdated roles, skill gaps or poor processes. Repeated restructuring can also damage workplace culture and trust, particularly when remaining employees face heavier workloads. Laid off, then laid off again: Why Big Tech's job cuts come in waves (AI-generated) AI IS CHANGING THE MIX OF JOBSAI and automation are adding another layer to workforce decisions. Companies are reassessing the roles and skills they need as they invest in these technologies. But not every layoff is driven by AI.Ronit Mukherji, assistant professor of Economics at Ashoka University, says AI is changing hiring patterns and the skills companies seek."Studies find that AI-adopting firms reduce hiring for some existing roles and change the skills they seek. This indicates a changing mix of skill requirements," he says.AI can also create jobs through new products and business expansion. "The outcome depends on whether displacement is outweighed by business expansion and new work," Mukherji says.Clerical, customer support and some coding jobs may face greater exposure to automation. The overall impact on employment will depend on how much new work businesses create.WHY INDIA'S IT PROFESSIONALS MAY FIND IT HARDER TO BOUNCE BACKThe shift has implications for India’s technology workforce, especially experienced professionals whose skills may be tied to a particular technology, client or employer.Software development job postings fell 12.3 per cent in the three months to June, according to Indeed data. IT services firms are also expected to reduce bench strength to 8-10 per cent in FY27, from the traditional 20-30 per cent, leaving fewer employees waiting for assignments.Mukherji warns of labour-market scarring, where the effects of job loss continue even after workers find new employment."For experienced IT professionals, the long-term risk is labour-market scarring: longer job searches, lower earnings after re-employment and interrupted career progression. Finding another job does not necessarily restore previous earnings," he says.Professionals may struggle to find roles that match their experience, responsibilities and pay. Laid off, then laid off again — why Big Tech’s job cuts come in waves (AI-generated) CAN REDEPLOYMENT BE AN ALTERNATIVE?Companies must weigh retraining and redeployment against eliminating roles. Dowerah argues that redundant roles do not necessarily mean redundant talent."If there is a gap, immediate redeployment and training would help meet the growing demand without losing the empathy levers by reducing the value of roles," he says.Zoho, for instance, said in October it would skip annual salary hikes rather than cut jobs, while retraining employees for new products and customer needs. Such measures may not work for every business, but show that layoffs are not the only option.Mukherji stresses that training must be linked to actual job openings and emerging skill requirements.For employees, the uncertainty does not end when one round of layoffs is over. Experienced workers may face longer job searches and lower salaries, while fewer entry-level openings could limit opportunities for younger employees.Whether repeated layoffs lead to lasting job losses or a shift towards new skills and occupations will depend on how businesses, workers and policymakers manage the transition.- Ends