Tech lay-offs are the latest blow to office landlords

Not long ago, big tech was splurging on flashy office space to woo talent. Money sloshed around and a hiring boom was under way. Even as the pandemic forced programmers and software engineers to work remotely, tech giants splashed out on lavish workplaces. Google has been beavering away on a sprawling complex in London with a 25-metre swimming pool and a rooftop running track, due to open in 2024, while shelling out $1bn on another building in the city. Amazon said it would add a dog-day-care facility and hiking trail at its new complex in Arlington, Virginia. In the two years to March, other tech companies across America and Canada added enough office space to fill the Empire State Building more than 20 times over.As recession looms and businesses tighten their belts, surplus office space presents an easy target. This is especially true in tech, which is sacking workers en masse. Technology firms around the world have announced 150,000 job cuts so far this year, according to Layoffs.fyi, a jobs-data website. On December 13th Amazon delayed the start-dates for graduates who were meant to begin work in May to the end of 2023. Bad news for tech workers is also bad news for tech landlords.