Amazon is reportedly aiming for as many as 30,000 corporate layoffs on its path to higher profitability

Amazon is preparing a significant corporate restructuring that could cut as many as 30,000 office-based roles, Reuters reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The reductions are expected to start next week, and sources say the changes will primarily focus on its corporate groups, including operations, devices, services, and human resources.

If the reported figure holds, the cuts would represent a significant portion of Amazon’s corporate workforce. Reuters characterises the total as in the low tens of thousands and says affected teams will be informed as the company implements the plan. The story relies on unnamed sources, and it is prudent to note that Amazon has not provided any comments at the time of writing.

The potential layoff plan follows earlier rounds of job reductions across various Amazon divisions, and reflects broader cost-control efforts sweeping through the technology sector. The company, under CEO Andy Jassy, has signalled a push to simplify decision-making, reduce bureaucracy, and capture productivity gains, including through automation and AI, moves management has previously said could change how corporate teams are structured.

Reuters reports the cuts are part of a broader effort to streamline operations and reallocate resources toward priority initiatives. Some roles may be consolidated or repurposed, sources told the outlet, while others could be eliminated. Details on severance, outplacement support, and exact timing were not included in the report.

Large reductions obviously significantly lower payroll expenses, but they also often entail immediate restructuring charges, potential disruption to teams responsible for ongoing projects, and, in some cases, affect the day-to-day operations of a company. Historically, companies that undertake broad corporate cuts use the savings to redirect spending to strategic areas or investments.

Beyond headline numbers, the effects will vary across teams. Projects tied to long-term product roadmaps may be slowed or even forgone, hiring freezes could be extended, and internal services could be centralised to reduce role duplication as the Seattle-based tech giant aims to unlock greater efficiency across the board.

Historically, Amazon typically communicates layoffs internally before making public statements, so further information is likely to leak across the week as announcements roll out and teams receive formal notice. For employees and onlookers, the coming days should clarify which segments of Amazon’s sprawling business empire are most affected and how the e-commerce and data center giant plans to support those affected.