Amazon has trimmed its communications and sustainability teams. Although the exact number of employees impacted is not officially known, media reports say that dozens have been let go in the communications and corporate-responsibility divisions.
Brad Glasser, spokesperson, Amazon has reportedly called this move a result of a review of the organisation’s structure. The trimming is expected to help improve speed and ownership, bringing teams closer and making the culture stronger.
The move is said to impact roles that were too narrow in scope and resulted in excessive layers that could be eliminated.
The company intends to lend support to the affected employees in the form of severance pay, health insurance benefits through the transition and outplacement assistance.
About a week ago, Amazon had revealed its decision to revert to a third-party delivery model in Quebec after phasing out operations in seven sites across the province by March of 2025. This move was expected to render about 1,700 full-time employees jobless. It was also expected to impact about 250 seasonal workers. It is believed that this third-party model of delivery will offer more savings to the customers, and has already been used by Amazon before the pandemic.
Before that, Amazon has announced layoffs impacting approximately 200 employees within its North America retail division. The decision was part of the company’s ongoing efforts to optimise its business structure and prioritise key areas.