Several weeks have now passed since Amazon publicly revealed its decision to eliminate approximately 14,000 corporate roles, yet the emotional aftermath continues to ripple through the company’s workforce. Many of the employees who were affected are still trying to process the reality of losing their positions at one of the world’s largest technology companies. When the news first broke, Amazon’s justification centered on the need to operate with greater efficiency and agility in what executives termed “the age of artificial intelligence.” Later, however, CEO Andy Jassy added a more nuanced explanation, suggesting that the move was not merely financial or strategic but also cultural — a reflection of how Amazon intends to shape its internal identity for the future.
In an effort to better understand the human dimension behind this sweeping decision, Business Insider spoke to six of the workers who had recently been laid off. Among them was an anonymous single parent who had relocated to Seattle only a few months earlier, adjusting to life in a new city because of Amazon’s renewed insistence on office attendance. Not long after that disruptive move, the employee found themselves unexpectedly without a job. Another interviewee, a former product manager who also requested anonymity, admitted that after hearing rumors about an impending round of layoffs, he found himself anxiously setting an early alarm — for 3 a.m., no less — just to check his email and confirm whether his worst suspicions were true.
The abruptness of the layoffs, coupled with a tightening and highly competitive job market, has left many ex-employees struggling to regain equilibrium. There is a shared sentiment among them that the randomness and impersonality of the process intensified the shock and made moving forward emotionally and financially more difficult.
When asked how they learned about their layoffs, the responses revealed a surprisingly mechanical process devoid of human contact. Iren Azra Zou, a 27-year-old software engineer based in New Jersey who had been with the company for about a year, awoke to a 6 a.m. automated text message instructing her to check her email. When she attempted to access her work account, multiple authorization errors appeared, signaling — even before she opened the email — that her employment was over. John Paul Martinez, a 35-year-old technical support engineer from Orlando with more than three years at Amazon, experienced something similar; he received an early-morning message directly from HR informing him that he was among those affected. James Hwang, an IT support engineer based in Michigan who had been with the company around four years, described an almost identical experience: a pre‑dawn text from Amazon urging him to read an important email, which turned out to contain his termination notice. Joanelle Cobos, a 37‑year‑old design manager from Las Vegas, had just been preparing to head to the office when two suspicious‑looking texts appeared on her phone. Believing them at first to be spam, she logged onto her work laptop for verification — only to be met with a message indicating that her access had been revoked. In that instant, she realized what had happened.
For many, the experience was marked by an unsettling blend of anticipation and disbelief. Zou recalled that vague rumors had circulated in the previous days, giving her an uneasy intuition that she might be among those affected, despite having recently exceeded her performance objectives. She described the moment as simultaneously shocking and familiar, acknowledging that in the world of corporate cost‑cutting, employees can quickly become nothing more than entries in a budget spreadsheet. Martinez, by contrast, described his reaction as one of complete astonishment, emphasizing that no advance warnings were given and that the layoffs arrived just as the holiday season was approaching. Hwang shared a similar sense of disbelief, noting that he had been a high performer and had previously assumed that his IT team was secure, given the nature of their essential work. Cobos, on the other hand, admitted she was not blindsided. Having joined Amazon in late 2021, she had repeatedly witnessed whispers about “reduction in force” programs and voluntary buyouts, occurring almost annually. As someone who had already endured multiple layoffs across her career, she had grown pragmatic, even structuring parts of her life around the possibility that it could happen again.
In the wake of this tumultuous event, the stories shared with Business Insider underscore how rapidly shifting corporate strategies — from layoffs and restructuring to hiring freezes — can alter entire career trajectories. For those who feel compelled to share similar experiences, the publication invites direct and secure contact through various private channels.
When describing their immediate reactions, the employees mentioned first reaching out to the people closest to them. Zou turned to her husband, who had been awake beside her when the message arrived, before messaging trusted coworkers to determine who else had lost access. She recalled being stunned to discover that even some of the highest‑achieving members of her team — individuals she described as “literal rock stars” — had been let go. Martinez’s first instinct was to contact a colleague who worked in the same department, hoping, perhaps irrationally, that the message he had received was an error or misunderstanding. Hwang confided the news to his wife and then his parents, while Cobos broke the news to her mother and sisters via their family group chat.
The evenings that followed told a variety of emotional stories. Zou did her best to maintain structure and normalcy, adhering to the same daily rituals — coffee, exercise, and an early bedtime — in an effort to prevent chaos from taking over. She spent time chatting with friends, building Legos to distract herself, and reading quietly to give her mind time to settle. Martinez’s night unfolded very differently. Overwhelmed by the sudden instability and the financial pressures ahead, he broke down in tears, mentally reviewing his list of obligations — mortgage, car payments, credit card debts, and his father’s ongoing medical expenses. Hwang responded by immediately turning his focus toward practical next steps, updating his résumé and assessing his options. Cobos, in contrast, chose to approach the day’s event with a degree of liberation, enjoying a quiet evening at home and allowing herself to imagine what it might be like to finally have time to breathe and reconsider her professional priorities.
When reflecting on their plans for the future, their outlooks varied but shared a common yearning for stability and purpose. Zou began searching for new openings almost immediately, though she expressed a desire to be selective, aiming to find a workplace that values collaboration and autonomy above size or prestige — a smaller company where her contributions would feel tangible rather than lost within bureaucracy. Martinez, meanwhile, has also started the job hunt but admitted feeling apprehensive, acknowledging how the high volume of corporate layoffs across the tech industry has intensified competition for roles. Hwang’s plan focuses on returning to his technical roots by seeking positions in cloud support or IT systems engineering. Cobos articulated a more entrepreneurial vision, contemplating the launch of a small business that could sustain her financially while allowing her to pursue future employment without desperation. Although she recognized that traditional corporate roles often provide the highest pay, she prioritized work‑life balance, health benefits, and mental well‑being over maximum income.
As the weeks passed, each former employee grappled with evolving emotions about their separation from Amazon. Zou admitted that at first she wrestled with self‑doubt, repeatedly asking why she had been chosen, until she reached the insight that layoffs rarely reflect individual performance. She came to accept that excellent workers can still fall victim to numerical decisions, and this realization emboldened rather than diminished her confidence. Over time, she began to view the layoff as an inflection point — an uninvited, but potentially fruitful, opportunity for reassessment and growth. Martinez, however, maintained frustration, criticizing Amazon for what he saw as inadequate communication regarding severance details, benefits, and job assistance programs. Hwang continued to express distress, finding the contemporary job market unusually competitive; despite submitting hundreds of applications, he had yet to secure an interview. Still, he insisted that perseverance was the only viable response. Cobos, for her part, viewed the event as both difficult and refreshing. Though she disapproved of how the process was managed, she embraced the chance to pause, rethink her goals, and reconsider what she wanted from her professional life.
Collectively, the experiences of these former Amazon employees paint a complex picture of resilience, uncertainty, and redefinition. Each individual navigated the same structural event — a massive workforce reduction — yet their narratives reveal a profound humanity often obscured by numbers. They remind us that behind every corporate strategy lies a multitude of personal stories, each shaped by the universal search for meaning, security, and renewal after disruption.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/laid-off-amazon-employees-share-what-happened-tech-job-market-2025-11
