Discord, a popular messaging platform, is set to have its largest-ever layoffs, following in the footsteps of Google, Amazon, Meta, and Twitter. The company plans to reduce its workforce by 17% as part of its strategic plan.
During an all-hands meeting, Jason Citron, Discord’s CEO, announced the job cuts, stating in an internal memo that the layoffs aim to improve collaboration and enhance organizational agility. The decision will affect 170 employees across different company departments.
Citron mentioned in a message to the staff that the company’s staff size has significantly grown in recent years, increasing five times since 2020. He acknowledged that the rapid expansion led to decreased efficiency as the firm took on more projects.
This is the biggest round of layoffs so far, following a smaller set of layoffs in August 2023. The job cuts aren’t just an attempt to save money but also to fix the issue of having too many employees.
This downsizing trend is sweeping across the tech industry, with Google also letting go of some employees, particularly in areas such as hardware and engineering. Large companies like Amazon are also reducing their workforce.
Interestingly, many tech firms, including major players like Amazon and Meta, have followed the pattern of hiring extensively post-pandemic. However, last year, most of these companies announced widespread layoffs, letting go of thousands of employees worldwide across various departments.
