Though technology companies announced massive layoffs last year, 2023 has been much worse. Layoffs have far outpaced last year's cuts, as tech giants including Amazon,Cisco, Facebook parent company Meta, Microsoft, Google, IBM, SAP, and Salesforce — as well as many smaller companies — announce sweeping job cuts.
The problem: Big Tech went on a hiring binge during the pandemic when lockdowns sparked a tech buying spree to support remote work and an uptick in e-commerce, and now they face revenue declines.
Continuing supply chain issues, inflation, and the war in Ukraine are also having an impact on both business and consumer spending, leading to fears of recession.
According to data compiled by Layoffs.fyi, the online tracker keeping tabs on job losses in the technology sector, 1,012 tech companies have laid off about 235,639 staff so far this year, compared to 164,411 layoffs last year.
Here is a list — to be updated regularly — of some of the most prominent technology layoffs the industry has experienced recently.
September 2023
Low-code platform provider Airtable enacts new round of layoffs
Airtable, a low-code software company, is undergoing its second round of layoffs within nine months, cutting around 237 employees, equivalent to 27% of its workforce. CEO Howie Liu explained that these measures aim to target large enterprise clients and regain control over spending. This move follows a similar downsizing effort in December 2022, which affected 254 employees. Airtable anticipates achieving cash-flow positivity after these layoffs. The decision reflects a post-pandemic shift from hypergrowth to a more sustainable business model.
Alphabet layoffs: Company trades recruitment team for tech talent
Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has initiated another round of layoffs, this time affecting hundreds of employees within its recruiting team. The move is part of Alphabet's ongoing efforts to streamline its operations and increase efficiency amid economic uncertainties. The tech giant is grappling with fierce competition from industry rivals like Microsoft, AWS, IBM, and Oracle, particularly in the field of generative AI and artificial intelligence. In a strategic shift, Alphabet is focusing its workforce toward engineering and technical roles, reflecting a broader trend in the tech industry.