Global Tech Giant’s Sudden Layoffs Leave Employees Stunned, Hundreds Dismissed Over Zoom Calls
Global Tech Giant’s Sudden Layoffs Leave Employees Stunned, Hundreds Dismissed Over Zoom Calls
Cloud and AI divisions hit hardest as staff in India and US face abrupt job losses
Global tech giant Oracle has initiated a fresh round of large-scale layoffs across India and the US, with hundreds of employees reportedly dismissed through abrupt Zoom calls lasting less than 20 minutes.
According to accounts from affected staff, routine emails and meeting invites have become a source of dread, with many workers realising only mid-call that they were being terminated. In India, reports suggest that as much as 10 per cent of Oracle’s workforce may have been impacted, though the company has not disclosed official figures.
One employee from the database team described the swiftness of the process: “It was all over in less than 20 minutes: a Zoom invite, my manager on the call, and then the HR person telling me I was being let go. They said it wasn’t about my performance but purely business reasons. My system access was cut immediately. I was also due to get stock benefits in February, but now I’ve lost them.”
Another recalled joining what he thought was a business update meeting, only to discover it was a termination briefing. “The HR person only explained the severance package. It felt very cold and mechanical,” he said.
The layoffs are concentrated in Oracle’s cloud business, particularly within engineering, data centre operations, and artificial intelligence teams. CRN reported that more than 300 employees were let go in California and Washington recently.
The cuts come even as Oracle is doubling down on artificial intelligence investments, having signed a significant agreement with OpenAI to expand data centre capacity in the United States. For Indian employees, however, this marks a sharp departure from earlier years, when Oracle announced ambitious Bengaluru expansion plans and student training initiatives.
The emotional toll has been heavy. Many workers have spoken of the difficulty in breaking the news to families, especially when dependents rely on their income. “You don’t even get time to process it. One minute you’re working, the next minute you’re out,” said another affected staff member.
The development underscores a broader wave of restructuring in global technology firms, where investment in AI and automation is rising even as traditional roles face downsizing.
