One of the biggest stories from the tech world this week has been the Oracle layoffs. The company reportedly laid off around 30,000 employees across departments globally, with nearly 12,000 impacted in its India offices. While there is clear distress among those who lost their jobs, the ripple effects are now being felt by employees who remain within the company. Many are reportedly dealing with increased workloads, uncertainty, and pressure to “step up” in the aftermath of the cuts.
In fact, a Reddit post is now circulating widely across social media, where a user claiming to be an Oracle employee is urging remaining employees not to overwork to compensate for the cuts or try to fill roles that have been eliminated.
In a post on the r/employeesOfOracle subreddit, a user going by the name ragingBull_100, argues that after large-scale layoffs, companies often expect the remaining workforce to absorb the responsibilities of those who have been let go. The user suggests that this expectation creates an unspoken pressure to work longer hours, take on additional tasks, and stretch beyond defined roles, often without any additional compensation or recognition.
“Our team had a sync with a Senior Director who mentioned that, going forward, we would need to ramp up our efficiency to make up for the reduced headcount and stretch ourselves a little to meet committed deliverables. Basically, signalling that those left behind need to pick up the slack of those who were let go,” the post reads.
The Reddit user strongly advises other Oracle employees against falling into that pattern. The user urges employees to stick to their defined working hours and responsibilities. “Do your job, but don’t go beyond what you’re paid for,” the post essentially conveys, adding that overworking only helps mask the real impact of layoffs.
The post is now going viral, with many users sharing similar experiences across companies and industries. Several commenters agreed that layoffs often shift the burden onto remaining employees, while others highlighted how difficult it can be to push back in a culture that subtly rewards overwork.
Some Oracle employees have also raised concerns about how the layoffs were carried out, particularly how long-serving staff with decades at the company were simply let go via email. One widely circulated claim by a former Oracle employee even suggests that the recent cuts may not have been entirely random.
A post attributed to Nina Lewis, a long-serving employee of 34 years, alleges that the layoffs appeared to strategically target senior executives and mid-level managers. The post claims that the company’s internal selection process may have prioritised employees with significant equity and stock options, potentially reducing long-term financial liabilities.
Meanwhile, Oracle began the latest round of job cuts on March 31, with many employees reportedly receiving termination emails as early as 6:00 am. The internal communication informed them that their roles had been eliminated with immediate effect. The cuts spanned several key departments, including Oracle Health, Cloud, Sales and NetSuite, affecting both recent hires and long-tenured employees with decades of experience.
The job cuts are believed to be part of the company’s broader strategy to streamline operations and redirect significant investments towards areas such as artificial intelligence.