Uncertainties continue to loom over the job market in 2025, in the wake of mass layoffs that began shaking the industry in 2022 and reverberated through 2023 and 2024.
The tech sector faced a challenging start to 2024 as companies worldwide embarked on a major workforce reductions. According to Statista, in the first quarter alone, over 57,000 tech employees were let go, setting a difficult tone for the rest of the year.
The downsizing continued into the second quarter, impacting more than 43,000 workers. As the year drew to a close, the final quarter saw layoffs affecting around 12,000 employees, marking a significant, though reduced, contraction in the tech workforce.
Although this year’s cuts are more measured, they underscore a continued focus on performance management and strategic restructuring.
With rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and a relentless drive for operational optimization, several tech giants have unveiled new downsizing measures.
Here’s a closer look at the top layoffs and developments:
Meta
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, announced plans to cut 3,000 jobs—about 5% of its workforce. This follows a previous 5% cut announced in December 2024. The hiring push is expected to occur between February 11 and March 13.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg explained in an internal memo that the move is part of “raising the bar on performance management” by accelerating the removal of low-performing employees during an “intense year” of restructuring and operational shifts.
Read more: Meta layoffs: 3000 employees to lose their jobs as Facebook-owner initiates company-wide layoffs
Microsoft
Microsoft became one of the first tech giants to declare job cuts in 2025, targeting multiple divisions with a notable impact on its security unit.
The layoffs are performance-based, aimed at trimming employees who did not meet set expectations. Meanwhile, Puneet Chandok, head of Microsoft’s India and South Asia operations, reassured that their regional teams would remain unaffected.
Read more: Microsoft implements instant layoffs with no severance for departing staff
Amazon
In a continuation of its layoff streak dating back to 2022, Amazon has recently announced job cuts within its communication and sustainability divisions.
According to an internal memo obtained by media reports, the strategy is focused on eliminating narrowly defined roles and redundant layers within the organization. Over the past three years, Amazon has reduced its workforce by approximately 27,000 employees.
Salesforce
Salesforce has also joined the list of companies downsizing in 2025 by announcing plans to eliminate more than 1,000 positions.
This move is part of an ongoing restructuring initiative even as the company looks to bolster its workforce to support an expansion into AI-driven products. Laid-off employees may be offered opportunities to apply for other roles within the company.
Instead of direct layoffs, Google has introduced a voluntary exit program in its Platforms & Devices division—a segment responsible for key products like Android, Pixel, Chrome, Nest, and Fitbit.
Senior Vice President Rick Osterloh communicated in an internal memo that U.S.-based employees opting into the program would receive attractive severance packages, offering a wat for the company to manage workforce adjustments while minimizing forced exits.
Pocket FM
In a strategic move to secure its future, audio content platform Pocket FM has announced the layoff of 75 employees.
This decision comes as part of the company’s efforts to “ensure the long-term sustainability and success” of its business model, following a previous reduction of 200 writers in July 2024 after a partnership with ElevenLabs.