BusinessAug 4, 2024
The Biggest Tech Company Layoffs Around the World Since 2020
@neomamstudios
If you’ve faced redundancy in the last few years, you’re far from alone.
The COVID-19 pandemic was a period of intense job instability for many of the world’s workers. Every industry was impacted in some way, but Big Tech, in particular, caught the global limelight after hiring en masse and subsequently laying off excess workers in huge swathes when the bubble burst. To explore the worldwide impact of layoffs since 2020, the team at BusinessFinancing.co.uk commissioned us to uncover the biggest tech company layoff events around the world in the last four years.
In order to do this, we analyzed data from Layoffs.fyi to isolate the biggest tech company layoff events per country and per continent based on the number of employees laid off by a company in one event. Where the information was available, ties on the total number of laid-off employees were separated by whichever layoff was equivalent to a larger percentage of the workforce.
Dataset
| Continent | Country | Company | Company (Year of Layoffs) | Location | Number of Employees Laid Off | Date | % Employees Laid Off | Industry | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | United States | Google (2023) | SF Bay Area | 12000 | 20/1/2023 | 6% | Consumer | www.nytimes.com/2023/01/20/business/google-alphabet-layoffs.html | |
| Europe | Sweden | Ericsson | Ericsson (2023) | Stockholm | 8500 | 24/2/2023 | 8% | Other | www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/ericsson-lay-off-8500-employees-memo-2023-02-24/ |
| Europe | Germany | SAP | SAP (2024) | Walldorf | 8000 | 23/1/2024 | 7% | Other | www.cnbc.com/2024/01/23/sap-plans-job-changes-or-buyouts-for-8000-employees-in-restructuring-plan.html |
| Europe | Germany | Flink | Flink (2023) | Berlin | 8000 | 24/4/2023 | 40% | Food | www.manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/tech/flink-lieferdienst-hat-still-und-leise-8000-jobs-abgeschafft-a-caa29cb9-82b5-4d1e-83ca-a29efaccd25d |
| Europe | Netherlands | Philips | Philips (2023) | Amsterdam | 6000 | 30/1/2023 | 13% | Healthcare | www.reuters.com/markets/europe/philips-scraps-6000-jobs-drive-improve-profitability-2023-01-30/ |
| Europe | United Kingdom | Getir | Getir (2023) | London | 2500 | 22/8/2023 | 11% | Food | www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkeys-getir-cut-11-workers-global-restructuring-2023-08-22/ |
| Rest of Asia and Oceania | India | Byju's | Byju's (2022) | Bengaluru | 2500 | 12/10/2022 | 5% | Education | techcrunch.com/2022/10/12/indian-edtech-giant-byjus-cuts-2500-jobs/ |
| North America | Canada | Shopify | Shopify (2023) | Ottawa | 2300 | 4/5/2023 | 20% | Retail | www.cbc.ca/news/business/shopify-layoffs-1.6831842 |
| Rest of Asia and Oceania | Singapore | Crypto.com | Crypto.com (2022) | Singapore | 2000 | 6/10/2022 | 30% | Crypto | www.techinasia.com/cryptocom-lays-2000-employees-dials-marketing-efforts |
| Rest of Asia and Oceania | China | Bytedance | Bytedance (2021) | Shanghai | 1800 | 5/8/2021 | Consumer | www.reuters.com/world/china/bytedance-lay-off-staff-close-businesses-over-china-tutoring-clampdown-sources-2021-08-05/ | |
| Rest of Asia and Oceania | Indonesia | GoTo Group | GoTo Group (2022) | Jakarta | 1300 | 10/11/2022 | 12% | Transportation | www.reuters.com/technology/indonesias-goto-cuts-1300-workers-or-12-total-employees-2022-11-18/ |
| South America | Brazil | Stone | Stone (2020) | Sao Paulo | 1300 | 12/5/2020 | 20% | Finance | www.reuters.com/article/us-stoneco-layoff/brazilian-card-processor-stoneco-lays-off-20-of-workforce-1300-employees-idUSKBN22O31N |
| North America | Cayman Islands | Binance | Binance (2023) | Cayman Islands | 1000 | 14/7/2023 | Crypto | www.wsj.com/articles/binance-lays-off-over-1-000-employees-d59ff6ad | |
| Africa | Nigeria | Jumia | Jumia (2022) | Lagos | 900 | 21/11/2022 | 20% | Retail | techcrunch.com/2023/02/16/jumia-laid-off-20-of-staff-in-q4-2022-amid-work-to-reduce-losses-by-half-this-year/ |
| Middle East & Central Asia | Israel | SolarEdge | SolarEdge (2024) | Tel Aviv | 900 | 21/1/2024 | 16% | Energy | www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/rk4xlfcya |
| Rest of Asia and Oceania | New Zealand | Xero | Xero (2023) | Wellington | 800 | 9/3/2023 | 15% | Finance | www.stuff.co.nz/business/300826021/xero-plans-to-cut-up-to-800-jobs |
| Middle East & Central Asia | United Arab Emirates | Careem | Careem (2020) | Dubai | 536 | 4/5/2020 | 31% | Transportation | thenational.ae/business/economy/dubai-s-careem-cuts-536-jobs-as-lockdowns-hit-ride-hailing-across-middle-east-1.1014784 |
| Europe | France | Cimpress | Cimpress (2023) | Paris | 500 | 23/3/2023 | Retail | marketwatch.com/story/cimpress-plans-to-cut-about-500-jobs-768d3efc | |
| Rest of Asia and Oceania | Australia | Atlassian | Atlassian (2023) | Sydney | 500 | 6/3/2023 | 5% | Other | www.cnbc.com/2023/03/06/atlassian-cuts-5percent-of-headcount-as-it-focuses-on-high-priority-areas.html |
| Europe | Russia | AliExpress Russia | AliExpress Russia (2022) | Moscow | 400 | 14/5/2022 | 40% | Retail | asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Ukraine-war/Alibaba-s-Russian-venture-slashes-40-of-staff-amid-Ukraine-war |
| Rest of Asia and Oceania | Hong Kong | Oriente | Oriente (2020) | Hong Kong | 400 | 4/5/2020 | 20% | Finance | www.dealstreetasia.com/stories/oriente-lay-off-workforce-187008/ |
| Africa | Kenya | Copia | Copia (2023) | Nairobi | 350 | 26/7/2023 | 25% | Retail | techcabal.com/2023/07/26/copia-lays-off-350-employees/ |
| Rest of Asia and Oceania | South Korea | Green Labs | Green Labs (2023) | Seoul | 350 | 21/2/2023 | 70% | Food | techcrunch.com/2023/03/30/green-labs-secures-38-4m-in-debt-financing-about-a-month-after-conducting-layoff/ |
| Middle East & Central Asia | Saudi Arabia | Noon | Noon (2023) | Riyadh | 340 | 18/4/2023 | 10% | Retail | www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-18/amazon-s-middle-east-rival-noon-cuts-10-of-jobs-to-pare-costs?leadSource=uverify%20wall |
| Africa | Senegal | Wave | Wave (2022) | Dakar | 300 | 13/7/2022 | 15% | Finance | techcrunch.com/2022/07/13/wave-a-stripe-backed-african-fintech-valued-at-1-7-billion-cut-15-of-its-staff-in-june/ |
| Europe | Switzerland | Logitech | Logitech (2023) | Geneva | 300 | 22/3/2023 | Hardware | www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-03-22/logitech-cuts-300-jobs-on-post-covid-slump-in-computer-gadgets?srnd=technology-vp#xj4y7vzkg | |
| Europe | Austria | Bitpanda | Bitpanda (2022) | Vienna | 270 | 24/6/2022 | 27% | Crypto | brutkasten.com/bitpanda-kuendigungen/ |
| Europe | Poland | Aptiv | Aptiv (2024) | Krakow | 250 | 20/2/2024 | Transportation | wyborcza.biz/biznes/7,159911,30719165,w-pol-godziny-zwolnili-250-osob-dostal-godzine-na-spakowanie.html?disableRedirects=true | |
| Europe | Spain | Glovo | Glovo (2023) | Barcelona | 250 | 30/1/2023 | 6% | Food | sifted.eu/articles/glovo-lays-offs-news/ |
| Europe | Finland | Swappie | Swappie (2022) | Helsinki | 250 | 15/6/2022 | 17% | Retail | swappie.com/fi/blogi/viesti-swappien-toimitusjohtajalta/ |
| South America | Chile | Cornershop | Cornershop (2023) | Santiago | 250 | 11/5/2023 | 11% | Food | www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-05-11/uber-owned-online-grocer-cornershop-eliminates-11-of-staff#xj4y7vzkg?leadSource=uverify%20wall |
| Europe | Czech Republic | Kiwi.com | Kiwi.com (2024) | Brno | 216 | 30/1/2024 | 18% | Travel | cc.cz/vyhledavac-letenek-kiwi-com-hromadne-propousti-nejtezsi-rozhodnuti-v-zivote-rika-dlouhy/ |
| Europe | Norway | Easee | Easee (2023) | Sandnes | 200 | 14/8/2023 | 57% | Energy | www.dn.no/teknologi/easee/jonas-helmikstol/kjetil-nasje/easee-med-masseoppsigelser-grunder-og-toppsjef-jonas-helmikstol-gar-av/2-1-1500472 |
| Europe | Ireland | Wayflyer | Wayflyer (2022) | Dublin | 200 | 16/11/2022 | 40% | Marketing | sifted.eu/articles/wayflyer-layoffs-global-2022/ |
| Rest of Asia and Oceania | Myanmar | Flymya | Flymya (2020) | Yangon | 200 | 1/4/2020 | 33% | Travel | www.techinasia.com/myanmar-travel-startup-lays-staff-bookings-drop |
| Europe | Romania | Telenav | Telenav (2023) | Cluj-Napoca | 172 | 12/5/2023 | Transportation | www.romania-insider.com/telenav-closes-cluj-office-may-2023 | |
| Africa | Ghana | mPharma | mPharma (2023) | Accra | 150 | 4/9/2023 | Healthcare | techcabal.com/2023/09/04/exclusive-mpharma-lays-off-150-employees-due-to-tightening-macroenomic-conditions/ | |
| Europe | Denmark | Simple Feast | Simple Feast (2022) | Copenhagen | 150 | 7/9/2022 | 100% | Food | nyheder.tv2.dk/samfund/2022-09-07-firma-bag-plantebaserede-maltidskasser-er-gaet-konkurs |
| Europe | Estonia | Pipedrive | Pipedrive (2022) | Tallinn | 143 | 14/11/2022 | 15% | Sales | digipro.geenius.ee/rubriik/uudis/tehnoloogiasektori-koondamislaine-joudis-ka-eestisse-pipedrive-laseb-lahti-143-tootajat/ |
| Europe | Bulgaria | ScaleFocus | ScaleFocus (2020) | Sofia | 120 | 11/6/2020 | 10% | Infrastructure | seenews.com/news/bulgarias-scalefocus-lays-off-10-of-workforce-report-702279 |
| North America | Mexico | Bitso | Bitso (2022) | Mexico City | 100 | 29/11/2022 | Crypto | portaldobitcoin.uol.com.br/corretora-de-criptomoedas-bitso-faz-segunda-rodada-de-demissoes-no-brasil-e-no-mexico/ | |
| South America | Argentina | Lemon | Lemon (2022) | Buenos Aires | 100 | 24/11/2022 | 38% | Crypto | www.forbesargentina.com/innovacion/lemon-despide-tercio-sus-empleados-anuncia-nuevo-foco-compania-sea-mas-sostenible-n25358 |
| South America | Colombia | Tul | Tul (2023) | Bogota | 100 | 17/1/2023 | Construction | www.valoraanalitik.com/2023/01/17/plataforma-tul-anuncia-recorte-de-personal-y-revisa-estrategia-en-colombia-y-mexico/ | |
| Rest of Asia and Oceania | Japan | Crunchyroll | Crunchyroll (2023) | Tokyo | 85 | 21/2/2023 | Media | www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2023-02-21/crunchyroll-lays-off-approximately-85-employees-globally/.195161 | |
| Europe | Portugal | Unbabel | Unbabel (2020) | Lisbon | 80 | 8/4/2020 | 35% | Support | www.time24.news/i/2020/04/unbabel-will-lay-off-35-of-employees-there-are-more-than-80-people-observer.html |
| Africa | Seychelles | BitMEX | BitMEX (2022) | 75 | 4/4/2022 | 25% | Crypto | www.theblockcrypto.com/post/140412/bitmex-lays-off-75-employees-after-bank-acquisition-collapses | |
| Europe | Lithuania | Uber | Uber (2022) | Vilnius | 60 | 7/9/2022 | Transportation | www.linkedin.com/posts/gergelyorosz_uber-lithuania-softwareengineering-activity-6973669838502187009-aK1z/ | |
| Rest of Asia and Oceania | Thailand | Pomelo Fashion | Pomelo Fashion (2022) | Bangkok | 55 | 8/9/2022 | 8% | Retail | www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-09-08/fashion-e-commerce-startup-pomelo-cuts-jobs-after-market-slows |
| Europe | Ukraine | TakeOff | TakeOff (2023) | Kyiv | 50 | 23/3/2023 | Retail | dou.ua/lenta/news/takeoff-layoff/? | |
| Rest of Asia and Oceania | Malaysia | iPrice Group | iPrice Group (2022) | Kuala Lumpur | 50 | 8/6/2022 | 20% | Retail | www.techinasia.com/malaysias-iprice-group-sacks-20-employees |
| Rest of Asia and Oceania | Malaysia | Iflix | Iflix (2020) | Kuala Lumpur | 50 | 4/4/2020 | 12% | Consumer | technode.global/2020/04/07/iflix-job-cuts-coronavirus/ |
| Europe | Luxembourg | Viber | Viber (2022) | Luxembourg | 45 | 15/11/2022 | 8% | Consumer | www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hyy6fhwlo |
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