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‘This is just business, not personal’: Laid-off employee shares journey from driver to Uber manager

A man who worked at Uber for 10 years, starting as a driver and rising to manager, reflects on losing his job amid layoffs.

Updated on: Sep 3, 2026, 08:08:42 IST
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A 10-year Uber veteran who rose from a rideshare driver to a corporate role shared a moving reflection after being caught in the company's 10% mass layoffs. Finding out via a 4 AM email, he recalled his decade-long journey and urged impacted colleagues to stay hopeful.

Uber slashed 10% of its workers in a recent move to simplify its business. (REUTERS)
Uber slashed 10% of its workers in a recent move to simplify its business. (REUTERS)

The US-based employee started a LinkedIn post by sharing an incident in which he had to cancel an event in August due to a natural disaster. “Everything happens for a reason. I was supposed to fly to Hawaii on Aug 22. The hurricane that hit the islands knocked out our Airbnb, so we canceled and took a staycation.” He continued, “And then, this morning at 4 am my phone rang with an email. I don't know what possessed me to check it at 4 am, but I did. Everything happens for a reason.”

Also Read: Uber layoffs: CEO Dara Khosrowshahi to cut 10% of staff to simplify business. Read full memo

In the following lines, the employee gave a glimpse of his journey with the company. He shared, “I started in January of 2015 as a Rides driver, having gotten my vehicle inspected and signed my J&S forms, and I gave my first ride to a young woman going from a local high school to the mall. As a driver, I participated in promos, and activations, and UberIceCream, and eventually, when it started in October of 2015, UberEats.”

Soon after, he shifted to working in the corporate offices after the team running the Eats business in Seattle at that time liked some of his suggestions. However, 18 months after joining, his position was downsized, and he shifted to another team.

The man recalled, “Uber sent me on my first international trip ever (didn't even have a passport!). A panic attack on the plane, and a rough first week, but soon I was making friends that I still visit to this day. Then, on Nov 12, 2018, my birthday of all days, I was laid off in Lightspeed (for those of you who were here and remember). I was 6500 miles from home with minimal support structure, but I was able to scramble and find a role on a fledgling compliance team. That team was GSAT, which became GOC, which is now ECAS.”

He continued his work with the new team but was unfortunately impacted by the recent layoffs at the company. “To my fellow former Uber employees impacted today, be proud of what we built, this is just business, it's not personal, and we'll all find a path. The sun will rise tomorrow, as rough as today was. I'll miss all of you still there, and wish you all the best.”

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi informed employees of a 10% staff reduction in a company-wide memo. He stated that the decision, which will impact nearly 3,300 jobs, was taken to redirect resources towards growth and new technology.

(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. Hindustantimes.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Trisha Sengupta

Trisha Sengupta works as Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of experience in the digital newsroom. Known for her ability to decode the internet’s most talked-about moments, she specialises in high-engagement storytelling that bridges the gap between viral trends and traditional journalism. Throughout her tenure, Trisha has focused on the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. She frequently covers personal finance and real estate struggles in hubs like Gurgaon, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, while also documenting the unique challenges of the NRI experience. Her work often highlights the movements and philosophies of global newsmakers and personalities like Elon Musk, Mukesh Ambani, Nikhil Kamath, Dubai crown prince, and MrBeast. From reporting on Amazon or Meta layoffs and startup culture to the emergence of AI-driven platforms like Grok and xAI, she provides a grounded and empathetic perspective on the stories shaping our world. When not decoding the internet, Trisha is likely offline: lost in a book, exploring a historical ruin, or navigating the world as a solo traveler. She balances her fast-paced career with family time and a healthy dose of curiosity, currently trading her "human" sources for silicon ones as she masters AI to future-proof her storytelling.

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