Here are recent examples where companies promised no layoffs, only to later implement layoffs:
- Meta (Facebook) – November 2022
Promise: In July 2022, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that the company would not be laying off employees, calling it a "year of efficiency" and focusing on improving productivity.
Reality: In November 2022, Meta laid off 11,000 employees, about 13% of its workforce.
- Twitter – 2022
Promise: Prior to Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter, the company had assured employees that layoffs would not be happening under CEO Parag Agrawal.
Reality: After Musk took over in October 2022, Twitter laid off around 50% of its workforce.
- Amazon – November 2022
Promise: In 2022, Amazon's HR chief, Beth Galetti, stated that layoffs weren’t planned and that the company was still hiring.
Reality: In November 2022, Amazon announced it would lay off over 18,000 employees as part of cost-cutting measures.
- Salesforce – January 2023
Promise: In the first quarter of 2022, CEO Marc Benioff mentioned that Salesforce was committed to hiring and expanding its workforce.
Reality: In January 2023, Salesforce laid off around 10% of its workforce (about 8,000 people), citing economic uncertainty and restructuring.
- Google (Alphabet) – January 2023
Promise: In 2022, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the company would "continue hiring" and maintain its focus on growth.
Reality: In January 2023, Google announced the layoffs of 12,000 employees, or 6% of its workforce.
- Stripe – November 2022
Promise: In 2022, Stripe’s co-founders said the company had no immediate plans for layoffs despite difficult economic conditions.
Reality: In November 2022, Stripe laid off about 14% of its workforce due to the global economic slowdown.
- Snap – August 2022
Promise: In May 2022, Snap's CEO Evan Spiegel stated that layoffs were not on the horizon, and the company was committed to investing in its future.
Reality: In August 2022, Snap announced it would cut 20% of its workforce (around 1,200 employees).
- Microsoft – October 2022
Promise: Microsoft had been actively hiring throughout 2022, with CEO Satya Nadella stating that the company was still in growth mode and would "continue hiring in key areas."
Reality: In October 2022, Microsoft announced it would lay off around 1,000 employees in a restructuring effort.
These examples show how companies can make public assurances about avoiding layoffs, only to reverse those decisions later due to shifting economic realities or internal restructuring. Or just to make sure not too many jump ship before they are done with you.