SINGAPORE: Meta’s ongoing job cuts have reached Singapore, with a wave of layoffs hitting the city-state, as reported by several sources, including LinkedIn posts and insider accounts shared with The Straits Times. These cuts are part of a larger, global restructuring plan announced by the social media giant earlier this year, aimed at reducing its workforce across multiple regions.
The announcement was made public through an internal memo from Meta’s Vice President of Human Resources, Janelle Gale, which was leaked in February. The memo revealed that the company would begin notifying employees of their layoffs globally starting at 9 pm. Singapore time on Feb 10. Workers in over a dozen countries spanning Europe, Asia, and Africa were expected to receive their notices by Feb 18.
One LinkedIn post from a Meta product manager based in Singapore shared the emotional toll these layoffs have on employees. The post highlighted how this is not the first wave of job cuts she has experienced during her three years at Meta but that it “never gets easier.” She expressed the heartbreak of waking up to see colleagues’ profiles deactivated, many of whom faced an uncertain future, including some who had just returned from maternity or parental leave in 2024.
In response to the layoffs, Christopher Fong, co-founder of the career networking platform Key, organized a support event for laid-off Meta workers. The gathering, which took place at a bar in Clarke Quay on Feb 13, was intended to provide a space for affected employees to connect and share advice. About 20 people attended, with roughly half being individuals impacted by the most recent round of layoffs. Fong emphasized the importance of offering emotional support, sharing learnings on how to rebound from layoffs, and exploring new career opportunities in the tech industry.
Grace Clapham, a co-organizer of the event and leader in the APAC Meta alumni community, mentioned that the layoffs in Singapore affected a broad range of roles, from engineering to partnerships and policy. Organizers noted that laid-off employees require varying types of support, from managing the first 30 days post-layoff to finding a community where they can feel vulnerable and understood.
The emotional toll of the layoffs also extended to employees on medical and parental leave. Event co-organizer Anand Kumar Ramakrishnan shared that two of the affected Meta Singapore workers had returned to the company after taking time off for paternity and medical leave, only to be laid off shortly after. One employee, who had taken medical leave, had specifically inquired with Meta’s HR department whether their absence would be considered during the retrenchment process and was assured that it would not.
However, legal experts are raising concerns about the potential for discrimination. Eunice Grace Choong, a senior professional at the Institute for Human Resource Professionals, pointed out that while it is illegal to dismiss employees during maternity, paternity, or medical leave under Singapore’s Employment Act and the Child Development Co-Savings Act, layoffs that occur after these leave periods may still be seen as discriminatory, especially if perceived as directly related to the use of such leave. Choong emphasized that performance evaluations should focus on employees’ work performance rather than their attendance history to avoid legal and reputational risks for companies.
The Creative Media and Publishing Union (CMPU), which represents some tech professionals, also expressed concerns about the lack of unionization within Meta, which has not been an active part of the unionized labour market in Singapore. The CMPU assured affected workers that they would provide support, encouraging them to reach out for assistance during this difficult time.
Meta had previously announced a 5% workforce reduction across its global operations, which includes around 3,600 jobs. This is part of a broader company strategy to cut costs and focus on improving performance within its workforce, including in its Asia-Pacific operations. In the wake of these layoffs, Meta also relocated its Singapore team to a new office at Marina One after opting not to renew its lease for office space at South Beach Tower.
In response to inquiries, a Meta spokesperson declined to provide specific details about the layoffs in Singapore, instead pointing to past articles on their “performance terminations” announced earlier in January. Legal experts like Choong have underscored the importance of fair and transparent performance metrics, particularly when it comes to time off for medical or parental leave, to ensure that employees are not penalized for legitimate absences.
As the tech community reels from this latest wave of job cuts, the focus is shifting to finding ways to offer support, comfort, and guidance to the workers affected by these layoffs. The collaborative efforts of groups like Key and the Meta alumni network offer a glimmer of hope, reminding laid-off workers that they are not alone as they navigate these challenging times.