Yahoo Downsizes Its India Operations, Offers Pink Slips To Hundreds Of Engineers

In what is being considered as the biggest layoff at Yahoo since 2012, the Internet search giant is sacking about a third of its staff in India.

The information was revealed by a person, who worksat its Software Development Centre (SDC) in Bangalore. This is considered to be Yahoo’s largest engineering centre in the world after California’s Sunnyvale.

Media reports suggest that November 7 is the deadline to complete the process and engineers who are being laid off have been offered five-month pay as severance. A few of the lucky ones are being offered positions in Sunnyvale.

According to a Yahoo spokesperson, “As we ensure that Yahoo is on a path of sustainable growth, we’re looking at ways to achieve greater efficiency, collaboration and innovation across our business… To this effect, we’re making some changes to the way we operate in Bangalore leading to consolidation of certain teams into fewer offices. Yahoo will continue to have a presence in India and Bangalore remains an important office.”

“The old paradigm where Yahoo thought of itself as a tech company with some media properties is changing. Now Yahoo thinks of itself as a product company that needs to execute well and swiftly,” the executive said.

Under the leadership of Marissa Mayer, Yahoo, a one-time Internet pioneer, is trying to revive stagnant revenue growth. Mayer took the helm as Chief Executive two years ago and ever since then Yahoo has cut headcount consistently, even as it has focussed on acquisitions and expanding its media business.

Those who have been offered pink slips can breathe a sigh of relief as the other Internet companies are already started reaching out to sacked Yahoo employees through social media.

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