‘Trauma is more emotional than financial’: Amid Qualcomm layoffs, employees share personal stories of anxiety

Qualcomm is cutting jobs in India as part of a global workforce reduction following annual reviews. Reddit users in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai described uncertainty over who would be affected, while some shared details of severance packages. 

A Bengaluru professional was planning a wedding when he said Qualcomm laid them off. He, however, says he is more relieved than anxious.

"I am feeling more relaxed after hearing the news than I was before. At least the uncertainty is over, and I don't have to keep worrying about whether I will be impacted or not," he said.

Another said he had expected a promotion before receiving the news on a video call. A Hyderabad user described feeling “more relieved than disappointed” after a meeting with HR.

However, not everyone feels ‘relieved’ to have lost their job. Reddit posts describe personal experiences and concerns in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai. Qualcomm’s response and the total number of affected employees are absent from the posts.

In a post tagged Hyderabad, one user said HR was waiting in a conference room. Staff there explained a severance package tied to years of experience. The poster said that completed years of experience, plus one, determined the months of salary.

The package then added three months of pay. Signing the separation agreement within two days would add another month’s salary.

The poster used 5.5 years of experience to explain the calculation. With the signing bonus, the package would amount to 10 months of regular salary.

The user said their last working day would be January 31, 2027. He expected regular pay through January and severance by late February or early March.

The post said health insurance and other benefits would continue through January 31. Shares due to vest in November would vest while the remaining unvested shares would lapse.

The user said he had to return their laptop in December. HR would also share resources for CV writing and help finding another job.

One Bengaluru poster said earlier interview rejections had already shaken their confidence. He asked whether signing early could affect his chances of returning to Qualcomm. He also sought advice from other Redditors on referrals and interview preparation.

“Honestly, my confidence has taken a hit, and I feel completely lost…I just wish life would give me a little breathing room,” the Reddit user wrote.

Another Bengaluru user said their manager had told them a promotion was pending. He described learning of the layoff after losing two family members the previous month.

“Trauma is more emotional than financial,” he wrote.

One user said his pregnant wife had been warned she might be affected. She was six months pregnant then. She had worked at Qualcomm in Bengaluru for more than nine years, the user said.

The post said the couple was awaiting official communication and asked about legal protections. The poster also asked which records the couple should keep.

A Chennai poster said he had heard of cuts across several engineering levels. The user believed junior engineers were affected more often and questioned how managers chose people.

“What do you gain by laying off those people in the lower pay grades?” the user wondered.

Qualcomm: India layoffs

Qualcomm’s India layoffs are part of a global workforce reduction following annual employee reviews. In an October memo reviewed by Reuters, CEO Cristiano Amon called the cuts “performance-focused”.

Qualcomm said its decisions would reflect business priorities, organisational needs, and the skills required for future growth. Employee notifications were expected to start in November. Qualcomm has not disclosed how many jobs it plans to cut.

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Sounak Mukhopadhyay covers trending news, sports and entertainment for LiveMint. His reporting focuses on fast-moving stories, box office performance, digital culture and major cricket developments. He combines real-time updates with clear context for everyday readers. <br><br> Sounak brings newsroom experience across breaking news, explainers and long-form features. He has a strong emphasis on accuracy, verification and responsible storytelling. His work tracks audience behaviour, celebrity influence and the business of sport and cinema. He helps readers understand why a story matters beyond the headline. <br><br> Sounak has contributed to widely read digital publications. He continues to build a body of journalism shaped by consistency, speed and editorial clarity. He is particularly interested in the intersection of media, popular culture and public conversation in contemporary India. <br><br> At LiveMint, he writes daily coverage as well as analytical pieces that interpret numbers, trends and cultural moments in accessible language. His approach prioritises factual depth, balanced framing and reader trust. The reporting aligns with modern newsroom standards of transparency and credibility. <br><br> Outside daily reporting, he explores storytelling across formats including podcasts, filmmaking and narrative non-fiction. Through his journalism, Sounak aims to document the rhythms of modern entertainment and sports while maintaining rigorous editorial integrity. <br><br> Sounak continues to develop audience-focused journalism that connects speed with substance in a rapidly-changing information environment. His work seeks clarity, trust and lasting public value in every story he reports.