The tech industry's employment turbulence continues, as March 2025 witnessed over 8,800 workers losing their positions across 21 companies, according to data from layoffs.fyi, a portal that tracks tech industry job cuts in real time.
While this represents a decline from February's staggering 15,994 layoffs (the highest monthly total in 2025 so far), the persistent pattern reveals a sector undergoing fundamental transformation, as reported by The Indian Express.
Major players making cuts in March included Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HP), Northvolt, Block, Ola Electric, and Niantic, with downsizing affecting diverse industries, locations, and job functions.
Ola's workforce reduction
Electric vehicle (EV) company Ola began the month with plans to eliminate over 1,000 employees and contract workers in an effort to control mounting losses. The Bengaluru-based firm's cuts targeted multiple departments, including procurement, customer relations, fulfillment, and charging infrastructure.
This marks Ola's second significant workforce reduction in under five months, following November 2024's dismissal of approximately 500 staff members.
HP and Northvolt lead March's largest cuts
Hewlett Packard Enterprise announced plans to cut 2,500 positions, about 5% of its workforce, to counteract shrinking server business margins. The restructuring programme will roll out over 18 months, aiming to generate $350 million in gross savings by fiscal year 2027. HP's announcement triggered a 19% drop in its stock during extended trading on March 6.
Meanwhile, Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt shed more than half its workforce after filing for bankruptcy, eliminating 2,800 positions from its 4,500-employee operation in Sweden while retaining approximately 1,200 staff for the immediate future.
Elsewhere, Block (led by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey) cut 931 jobs, citing performance-based restructuring, while TikTok eliminated 300 positions at its Dublin office as part of parent company ByteDance's broader reorganisation.
Driving factors behind March's job cuts
The current wave of layoffs stems from multiple pressures: economic uncertainty, inflation, rising interest rates, and geopolitical tensions have made both businesses and consumers more cautious with spending. Enterprise technology providers like HP face particular challenges as clients reduce capital expenditures.
Companies are also increasingly embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation, leading to leaner operations despite denials of direct human replacement. Even as organisations like Block attribute cuts to performance issues, the broader trend reveals a shift toward technology-enabled efficiency.
Both public and private firms face intense investor pressure to achieve profitability. While March saw fewer layoffs than February, the industry continues to restructure around AI and automation capabilities.
For professionals, this evolution demands specialisation and cross-functional skills more than ever before. Upskilling and adaptability have become essential survival strategies in tech's rapidly changing landscape.
