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There have been increasing job cuts since 2023 which have continued into 2024. In 2023, over 240,000 jobs were lost, which was a 50% increase from the previous year. Despite some earlier slowdowns in tech layoffs, it seems that cuts are starting up again. Tech companies are now focusing more on efficiency rather than growth, and they are reducing their workforce due to the challenging market conditions.Here are all the job cuts that happened in the tech industry in January 2024.

Frontdesk CEO fires all 200 employees on a 2-minute call

Frontdesk, a US-based prop-tech company, has fired all 200 employees, and CEO Jesse DePinto broke the news during a two-minute Google Meet call. The company has decided to go for a state receivership instead of declaring bankruptcy.

Google cuts hundreds of jobs in tech, advertising and other divisions

Alphabet’s Google has announced laying off hundreds of staff from its digital assistant, hardware, and engineering teams. Google has laid off hundreds of employees in its advertising sales team. A spokesperson for the company stated that “some teams are continuing to make these kinds of organisational changes, which include some role eliminations globally.”
In an internal memo, CEO Sundar Pichai informed employees that more roles will be impacted by this year’s layoffs, which are aimed at simplifying execution and driving velocity in some areas.
Alphabet’s X Lab has also laid off dozens of workers and turned to outside investors for funding.

Microsoft lays off majority of Activision Blizzard staff

Microsoft is cutting 1,900 jobs from Activision Blizzard, Xbox, and ZeniMax, which is approximately 8% of the total Microsoft Gaming division. The layoffs are part of a sustainable cost structure plan to support the company’s growing business. Mike Ybarra and Allen Adham, the Blizzard president and chief design officer, respectively, have left the company.

Amazon cuts jobs across various divisions

Amazon’s various divisions have announced significant layoffs in their workforce. Audible, the online audiobook and podcast service, is letting go of 5% of its employees due to an increasingly challenging landscape. Amazon Prime Video is also laying off several hundred employees in its streaming and studio operations, whereas Amazon’s streaming platform, Twitch, is reducing its workforce by 35% or around 500 employees. In January, Amazon’s Buy with Prime unit also laid off about 5% of its employees.

Xerox lays off 3,00 employees

Xerox, an IT company, has also announced a reduction of its workforce by 15%, which equates to about 3,000 employees. The company aims to introduce a new organisational structure and operating model

Unity cuts 1,800 jobs

Unity Software, a provider of video game software, is cutting around 25% of its workforce, approximately 1,800 jobs, according to a regulatory filing. The company is aiming to focus on its core business and drive long-term success and profitability by reducing the number of things they are doing, as stated by interim CEO Jim Whitehurst memo to employees

Discord laid off 170 employees

The social chat and messaging startup Discord is reducing the workforce by 17%. The company’s founder and CEO, Jason Citron, sent an internal memo stating that around 170 jobs will be impacted by the layoffs.