“Your Last Working Day Today”: Oracle Lays Off 12,000 Employees; Indian Staff Notified via 6 AM Emails

Sudden job cuts hit India hardest as employees report abrupt access shutdowns and no prior warning

Layoffs Begin With Early Morning Emails

Thousands of employees across the globe were left shocked after receiving sudden layoff emails from Oracle early in the morning, some as early as 5–6 am. Many said the communication came directly from leadership, with no prior discussion from managers or HR teams.

In several cases, access to internal systems like VPN and Slack was revoked almost immediately after the email, leaving employees locked out without any transition time.

India Among The Worst-Hit

India has emerged as one of the most impacted regions in the ongoing layoffs. Reports suggest that around 10,000 to 12,000 employees in India could be affected, out of a workforce of roughly 50,000.

Globally, the number of job cuts is estimated to be close to 30,000, though the company has not officially confirmed the exact figures.

Which Teams Are Impacted

The layoffs are said to span multiple divisions, including Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), Revenue and Health Sciences (RHS), SaaS and Virtual Operations, as well as development centres like NetSuite.

Employees described the process as deeply impersonal, with many learning about their termination only through automated emails.

AI Push And Cost-Cutting Behind Move

Experts believe the layoffs are linked to Oracle’s aggressive push into AI and data centre expansion. The company is reportedly restructuring to improve operational efficiency while investing heavily in AI infrastructure.

As part of this strategy, Oracle is also raising significant capital to expand capacity for major clients, even as it reduces workforce costs.

Growing Concerns Among Employees

The abrupt nature of the layoffs has triggered anxiety across teams. Employees have pointed out the irony that while job cuts are underway, managers are simultaneously being asked to identify AI-skilled talent, signalling a shift in hiring priorities.

The developments highlight the broader challenges tech companies face as they balance large-scale investments in AI with cost control and workforce restructuring.