LinkedIn cuts 5% amid tech layoffs

LinkedIn told employees on May 13 that it would cut about 5% of its global workforce, according to Reuters, making the Microsoft-owned professional network one of the latest tech companies to reduce headcount this year. Reuters reported the cuts would affect roughly 875 workers across engineering, product, marketing and business teams. The move came two weeks after Microsoft said LinkedIn revenue rose 12% in its fiscal third quarter ended March 31. Crunchbase News says at least 127,000 workers at U.S.-based tech companies were laid off in mass job cuts in 2025, and that the layoffs have continued into 2026. ### How large is the LinkedIn cut? Reuters reported on May 13 that LinkedIn planned to lay off 5% of staff, citing two people familiar with the matter. Based on LinkedIn’s workforce, that amounts to about 875 employees. Reuters said workers in the United States were expected to receive calendar invites after a companywide memo from Chief Executive Daniel Shapero, while employees in Asia-Pacific were expected to learn their status the next day. (money.usnews.com) TechRepublic, citing Reuters, said the reductions spanned LinkedIn’s Global Business Organization, marketing, engineering and product teams. Neowin reported LinkedIn confirmed a 5% reduction as part of a broader organizational restructuring. ### Why does the timing stand out? Microsoft said on April 29 that LinkedIn revenue increased 12%, or 9% in constant currency, in the fiscal third quarter. (money.usnews.com) That made the layoffs notable because they followed a quarter of reported growth at the unit. Reuters-linked accounts of the cuts said LinkedIn described the move as part of regular business planning rather than a response to an immediate revenue shortfall. (techrepublic.com) The company has cut jobs before. In 2023, LinkedIn eliminated hundreds of roles in separate rounds as large technology companies reworked spending after pandemic-era hiring. This week’s move places the platform back in that pattern of periodic restructuring even as its parent continues to post growth. (microsoft.com) ### How broad is the layoff wave across tech? Crunchbase News said at least 127,000 workers at U.S.-based tech companies were laid off in mass job cuts in 2025. Its tracker says the layoffs have continued into 2026, adding to a labor market already reshaped by earlier reductions at large public companies and startups. Cisco said this week it would cut fewer than 4,000 jobs as it reported quarterly results, according to multiple reports. (money.usnews.com) Amazon has also made additional cuts in recent days, including in parts of its retail organization, according to Business Insider. The Los Angeles Times reported on May 14 that LinkedIn, Cisco and Amazon were among the latest technology companies laying off more workers. (news.crunchbase.com) ### What does a bigger laid-off talent pool change for smaller employers? A larger pool of recently displaced workers gives smaller firms more applicants to choose from. That is an inference from the scale of the cuts, not a company statement: when large employers release hundreds or thousands of product, operations, marketing and engineering workers into the market, recruiters at smaller companies can sort through deeper benches of candidates with big-company experience. (seekingalpha.com) For candidates, the reporting around LinkedIn’s cuts points to which backgrounds may now be more common in the market. Reuters-linked accounts said the reductions touched product, engineering, marketing and business functions. That means applicants competing for roles at smaller firms may need to show specific operating results — revenue won, products shipped, teams managed, costs reduced — rather than rely on employer brand alone. (hcamag.com) That conclusion is based on the functions affected and the number of workers involved. ### What should readers watch next? Microsoft is expected to report fiscal fourth-quarter results in late July, according to its investor relations schedule and earnings calendar pages. That report is likely to be the next formal update point for LinkedIn’s revenue trend and any management commentary on headcount or reorganization. (techrepublic.com) Crunchbase’s layoffs tracker is also being updated on an ongoing basis, making it one of the clearest public tallies for whether 2026 job cuts are accelerating or easing among U.S.-based tech employers. (news.crunchbase.com) (microsoft.com)