At Oracle, surviving layoffs hasn’t brought relief; employees describe burnout, stalled pay and growing anxiety

When Oracle began trimming its workforce earlier this year, the immediate impact was visible in job losses across regions and roles. But in the weeks since, a quieter shift has taken hold inside the company, one that is beginning to surface through employee accounts, internal conversations and online forums.

Workers who remain say the aftermath of layoffs has brought heavier workloads, limited salary growth and a persistent sense of uncertainty about what comes next.

Separately, Oracle has been in the middle of a broader workforce restructuring, with layoffs affecting roles across engineering, operations and program management teams. While official figures have not been disclosed, estimates suggest that up to 30,000 jobs may have been impacted globally. Reports by PTI newswire indicate that around 12,000 of these cuts could be in India.

The move comes as large technology firms recalibrate spending to prioritise artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure and data capabilities.

Reports citing employee accounts indicate that some workers have gone years without salary increases, even as responsibilities have expanded following team reductions. In practical terms, that has meant absorbing additional tasks, covering for vacant roles and working under tighter timelines.

One such account, shared on Reddit, described going more than three years without a salary hike despite taking on additional responsibilities after the layoffs.

An email query sent to Oracle did not elicit an immediate response. The story will be updated when the response comes in.

The post is part of a broader thread of discussions among employees online, where similar concerns around burnout and disengagement are being echoed.

The imbalance comes at a time when salary growth across India’s IT sector has slowed. According to Deloitte, average salary increments in the technology sector are projected in the 8-10% range, down from double-digit hikes seen during the post-pandemic boom.

“Layoffs often shift pressure rather than eliminate it. Employees who remain are expected to deliver the same or higher output with fewer resources, which can quickly lead to burnout if not managed,” said Diya Dohare, a senior analyst at Gartner.

In the Indian context, compensation plays a critical role. “When employees are asked to do more with less, without corresponding pay growth, it creates a perception gap that organisations need to address,” said Anupriya Singh, an HR executive. “That gap can quickly translate into lower engagement and higher attrition risk.”

Another widely shared Reddit post advised employees not to compensate for reduced team sizes by working longer hours, urging them instead to set clear boundaries.

Such posts reflect a broader pushback among employees. Reports suggest that some workers are actively resisting pressure to “stretch” beyond their roles following layoffs, instead prioritising work-life boundaries.

As firms invest more heavily in AI and automation, workforce models are evolving often towards leaner teams and higher productivity expectations.

What has emerged is not just a smaller workforce, but a different kind of workplace, one defined by tighter resources, cautious optimism and an undercurrent of fatigue.

For many employees, the question is no longer just whether layoffs will return. It is what remains after they are over and how long they can sustain it.