SINGAPORE: Meta’s latest round of job cuts arrived even before sunrise in Singapore. Employees at the social media giant woke up on Wednesday (May 20) to emails sent around 4 am local time informing them their roles had been cut, as the company began laying off around 8,000 workers globally while reshaping itself around artificial intelligence (AI).

According to Bloomberg, staff in other regions were scheduled to receive notifications in their own morning hours. The job cuts affect roughly 10 per cent of Meta’s workforce and mainly target engineering and product teams. Staff were also encouraged to work from home during the process. At the same time, thousands of employees are being moved into newly created AI-focused teams.

Meta reassigned about 7,000 employees to AI projects just days before the layoffs in other job roles

This is not to say that Meta is tightening its belt because its business is weak. On the contrary, the company remains highly profitable, and its chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, has made AI its top priority.

Meta has committed up to US$145 billion (S$186 billion) in capital spending this year, much of it tied to AI infrastructure and development, and just days before the layoffs began, Meta reassigned about 7,000 employees into AI projects covering products and AI agents.

In an internal memo reviewed by Bloomberg, Meta’s Chief People Officer Janelle Gale said the company wants flatter structures and smaller working groups that move faster and carry greater ownership.

For staff receiving their work termination emails before dawn, however, the experience likely felt far less efficient and polished than that shocking memo.

Employees pushed back over how AI-related projects are changing work culture

Meta’s redirection mirrors a trend spreading across the tech sector, with companies once hiring aggressively to build products now reorganising around how AI is changing workflows, team sizes and spending priorities. Meta is far from alone, but its scale makes the transition hard to ignore.

Some employees have already pushed back internally over how AI-related projects are changing work culture, as reports indicate that staff raised concerns about company plans involving employee device activity and data collection, including their keyboard strokes, movement of their mouse and what content is displayed on their screen, tied to AI training efforts, while others voiced frustration online about morale and uncertainty.

Investors have also questioned whether the spending will pay off, as analysts quoted by Bloomberg estimated the layoffs save roughly US$3 billion (about S$3.8 billion), which remains small compared with Meta’s bigger AI spending plans.

Company performance no longer guarantees workforce stability without AI skills to back it up

Singapore has spent years building itself into a regional technology hub, which makes news like this increasingly local, even when decisions are made elsewhere because global restructuring now arrives instantly through inboxes, time zones and corporate calendars.

The uncomfortable lesson learned from this story is that strong company performance no longer guarantees workforce stability. Businesses are changing how work gets organised, and AI investment is becoming part of that calculation.

The wise and practical way forward is not to fear technology or to assume jobs will vanish overnight due to AI disruptions. Rather, it’s better to focus on upgrading personal skills, work adaptability, and staying close to where value is created to stay safe, as in remaining employed as long as possible.

Read related: Singapore retrenchments 2026: Amazon, Tiger Beer, Yeo’s, and more firms cut jobs amid rising energy costs and weak demand

This article (Meta terminates 8,000 jobs globally, while Singapore staff receive their termination e-mails at 4 AM, as the company moves on with its new AI-focused teams) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Many employees, particularly those working in the tech industry and customer service roles, have been feeling rather anxious after a wave of AI-driven layoffs swept across both major corporations and smaller businesses.

It is no longer just a prediction. It has become a very real threat to people’s livelihoods, and the worst part is that it can happen at any time.

You could head into the office in the morning, go about your day as usual, and by the afternoon find yourself being told that your role is no longer needed.

In some cases, it is even more abrupt, with workers receiving an email first thing in the morning informing them that they are among the thousands being laid off.

With retrenchments becoming more commonplace, many Singaporeans are now bracing themselves for the possibility that they, too, could one day be affected.

In a Reddit discussion, several users shared how they have been preparing for the prospect of being laid off.

The user who started the thread wrote, “Personally, I have 11 months of my take-home salary saved up just in case.”

Another individual shared that fears surrounding layoffs had pushed him to make major lifestyle changes. He sold his car and, together with his wife, decided not to have children.

“Granted I have not been laid off before, but I will say minimising your commitments is the number one thing you should be doing,” he said.

A third user revealed that she has started building multiple sources of income as a safety net.

“I’m doing side hustles at the side now, so if/when the time comes, hopefully I have something to fall back on.”

Meanwhile, another Singaporean said he had essentially gone into full survival mode. According to him, he invests 70 per cent of his salary every month, avoids lifestyle inflation completely, and continues living with his parents to save on rent.

He also shared that concerns over financial stability ultimately affected his relationship, as he chose to remain “single and childfree.”

He said, “We broke up already. Save myself and my parents first. How to think about marriage or kids when your company is doing layoffs nearly every quarter? Being able to support my parents and myself is already an accomplishment. No point hanging on and then [dealing] with the helplessness of [being] unable to provide for 2 sets of elderly parents, AND young kids 2 years down the road.” 

“God forbid all those additional costs, such as car, helper and enrichment classes. Not even life insurance payouts will be enough at that point. Worst part is by then you don’t even have the choice of giving up if you are a responsible adult, as you have your parents and young kids totally dependent on you.. gave up on my BTO but it is what it is..”

Another commenter shared that he had been preparing for nearly a year by actively searching for job opportunities while maintaining a sizeable emergency fund. 

“Been preparing for almost a year now, I keep actively looking for roles and keep an emergency fund, 6 months salary or about 2-3 years expenses runway.”/TISG

Read also: ‘It’s a matter of survival’: Singapore man in his 40s turns to gig work after layoff to pay bills

This article (‘I saved 11 months of salary’: Singaporean workers share how they are bracing for sudden layoffs) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Former Singapore President Halimah Yacob has joined the growing backlash against Standard Chartered chief executive Bill Winters after he referred to employees affected by the bank’s restructuring plans as “lower-value human capital.”

The remarks, which some online have described as “unbelievably cruel language,” came after the London-headquartered lender announced plans to cut nearly 8,000 jobs over the next four years as it accelerates its adoption of artificial intelligence and automation.

The move marks one of the largest workforce reductions by a global bank directly linked to AI-driven restructuring.

Speaking to reporters after unveiling the bank’s latest strategy update, Winters said the exercise was not merely about cutting costs but about reshaping the organisation by redirecting resources toward technology and investment.

“It’s not cost-cutting. It’s replacing in some cases lower-value human capital with the financial capital and the investment capital we’re putting in,” Winters said.

He added that automation and AI would play a central role in the bank’s overhaul, while some affected staff would be given opportunities to retrain and move into other positions within the organisation.

“So, the people that want to reskill, that want to carry on, we’re giving every opportunity to reposition,” he said.

His comments quickly sparked criticism online, with many describing the phrase “lower-value human capital” as demeaning and insensitive toward workers facing redundancy.

Mdm Halimah weighed in on the controversy in a Facebook post, calling the remarks “disturbing” and urging the bank to treat employees with greater dignity and empathy.

“Workers are human beings with families, not just a form of capital. They, too, have contributed to the bank and now, because of AI, have become redundant. It’s demeaning to describe them as ‘lower-value human capital’,” she wrote.

She also warned that such language could have a lasting impact on both retrenched employees and those who remain within the organisation.

“After the retrenchment, they need to look for other jobs, and this negative description is not helpful. Imagine the morale of those who remain behind knowing that they are just another form of capital to their employer, who don’t really care about how they feel,” she added.

Calling on Standard Chartered and its leadership to handle retrenchments more compassionately, Mdm Halimah said, “Carry out retrenchments humanely. Treat workers with respect.”

Her remarks drew praise from many Singaporeans online, with some commending her for speaking out on the issue. Others pointed out that Singapore sovereign wealth fund Temasek Holdings is Standard Chartered’s largest shareholder, holding an estimated 17% to 18% stake in the bank.

Winters has yet to publicly respond to the criticism surrounding his comments.

Standard Chartered has said the roles expected to be most affected by the restructuring are located in back-office operations centres in Chennai, Bengaluru, Kuala Lumpur, and Warsaw. Winters also said AI would support the bank’s broader effort to modernise and automate its core banking systems.

The restructuring forms part of Standard Chartered’s longer-term strategy to improve profitability and reassure investors after years of transformation efforts. The bank has increasingly focused on higher-margin businesses, particularly affluent retail banking and financial institutions within its corporate and investment banking division.

Alongside the job cuts, the lender announced more ambitious financial targets, saying it aims to deliver a return on tangible equity (ROTE) of more than 15% by 2028, before increasing it further to around 18% by 2030.

The bank also brought forward its target of attracting US$200 billion in net new money to 2028 from its earlier 2029 timeline. In the first quarter of the year, Standard Chartered reported record wealth revenue and its highest level of new client inflows.

Despite the stronger targets, investor reaction was subdued. Shares in the bank, which have risen about 65% over the past year, slipped 0.5% in early trading after analysts described the guidance as relatively cautious.

Standard Chartered, whose operations are heavily concentrated in Asia-Pacific and Africa, also acknowledged ongoing geopolitical risks. Analysts have warned that prolonged instability in the Middle East could force regional banks to raise provisions for bad loans amid rising energy prices and slower economic growth.

The bank said it had already set aside US$190 million in precautionary provisions linked to Middle East tensions during the first quarter.

Asked whether geopolitical uncertainty could derail the bank’s ambitions, Winters maintained that the lender remained well-positioned to withstand external shocks.

“We are extremely resilient,” he said.

The strategy update also comes amid speculation over succession planning after Winters’ 11-year tenure as chief executive. Winters indicated that he intends to remain at the helm for the next few years to oversee the implementation of the bank’s latest strategy.

Separately, Standard Chartered announced on Monday that Manus Costello, formerly the bank’s head of investor relations, had been appointed permanent chief financial officer. He succeeds Diego De Giorgi, who resigned in February after nearly three years in the role.

This article (Former Singapore president blasts StanChart CEO for calling workers ‘lower-value human capital’) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Former President Halimah Yacob expressed dismay over how workers were characterised in the context of Standard Chartered announcing on Tuesday (May 19) that it was cutting around 7,800 jobs by 2030 as it employs Artificial Intelligence (AI) to streamline its workforce.

Mdm Halimah took exception to a statement made by the London-based banking corporation’s CEO, Bill Winters, to members of the media.

“It’s not cost-cutting. It’s replacing in some cases lower-value human capital with the financial capital and the investment capital we’re putting in,” he said.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday evening, she wrote that reading this description of workers had been disturbing, adding a screenshot of the announcement as reported in The Straits Times, and quoting Mr Withers’ remark in her caption.

The former President pointed out that “Workers are human beings with families, not just a form of capital. They too have contributed to the bank and now, because of AI, have become redundant. It’s demeaning to describe them as ‘lower-value human capital’.”

She added that the retrenched workers will need to find employment and that the CEO’s negative description had not been helpful. 

“Imagine the morale of those who remain behind, knowing that they are just another form of capital to their employer, who don’t really care about how they feel. Carry out retrenchments humanely. Treat workers with respect,” wrote Mdm Halimah.

StanChart‘s retrenchments

According to a Reuters report, in the next four years, StanChart will cut around 15% of its corporate function roles. The bank has 52,000 employees in this type of position out of a total of 82,000 of its global workforce.

The CEO added that employees who wish to be retrained would be given the chance to do so, and that positions in Chennai, Bengaluru, Kuala Lumpur, and Warsaw, where StanChart’s back-office centres are, would be the most affected. 

“Of course, we’re using AI along the way, and AI will be a huge facilitator and enabler of that,” Reuters quoted Mr Winters as saying.

What netizens are saying

Mdm Halimah’s post has been much liked and shared, and many commenters expressed agreement with the points she raised.

“That’s what I told my boss and HR manager when I was made redundant in February… we are human beings and with families,” a Facebook user wrote.

“I resonate and agree with your angst. I totally reject the generalisation that human-workers are ‘lower-value human capital’, but that is how the corporates see and act it. We have heard a lot of greenwashing like ‘AI augments, not automates the workforce’. But the employment figures do not add up. There is a pervasive sense of gloom and doom for blue-collar and some parts of the white-collar demographic,” added another.

“I agree. Every worker is important and valuable,” commented a third. /TISG

Read also: Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister warns against depending on AI to solve every problem

This article (StanChart CEO’s comments on retrenched workers trigger criticism from Halimah Yacob and netizens) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: On Wednesday morning (May 20), Meta Platforms Inc began informing thousands of its employees that they were being retrenched. Beginning with its hub in Singapore, affected workers were notified at 4:00 a.m.

The tech giant owns several social media and social messaging apps, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, and has a virtual reality arm as well.

Their counterparts in Europe and the United States are expected to receive notice during their respective early morning hours as well, Bloomberg reported, citing an internal memo.  

The retrenchments come amid the company’s AI transformation. On Monday, Meta told its employees that 7,000 workers would be reassigned to roles involving artificial intelligence. 

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in January that this year, the company would be spending as much as US$135 billion (S$173 billion) on AI infrastructure “to train leading models and deliver personal super intelligence to billions of people and businesses around the world”.

An internal memo from the company’s head of human resources, Janelle Gale, was quoted by the New York Times as saying that the affected employees would be shifted to four new organisations concentrating on developing new AI apps and tools, with more details promised to be revealed on May 20.

“We’re now at the stage where many orgs can operate with a flatter structure with smaller teams of pods/cohorts that can move faster and with more ownership. We believe this will make us more productive and make the work more rewarding,” Ms Gale is said to have written in the memo.

In spite of record earnings for the first three months of 2026, Meta’s employees had already been informed in April that mass layoffs would be coming, with around 10% of the company’s 80,000 employees expected to be affected.

This particular round of retrenchments is said to affect the product and engineering divisions of Meta, and Bloomberg added that more layoffs could come in the latter part of 2026.

NYT added that most of Meta’s offices were reportedly empty on May 20, as Ms Gale had told employees to work from home. /TISG

Read also: Meta to begin first wave of layoffs on May 20, cutting about 8,000 jobs, with more layoffs expected later: Reports

This article (Singapore among first hit as Meta launches major AI-driven layoffs affecting 8,000 workers) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s retrenchment list for 2026 continues to grow and is no longer tied to a single sector. From beer brewing and drinks manufacturing to property and online retail, firms in Singapore are cutting jobs, shrinking teams, or moving parts of their operations elsewhere as costs climb and demand stays uneven.

The pressure is building from several directions at once as energy costs remain elevated, consumer spending has weakened, and uncertainty linked to the war in Iran has made planning harder for businesses.

A recent Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) survey found that 96% of companies said higher energy prices had increased operating costs, Vulcan Post reported (May 13), signalling to workers that even established names are making difficult choices.

Amazon

Even global tech firms are making local changes, with Amazon joining the list in May. The company announced role reductions in Singapore while redirecting its focus to expanding its international store offerings for local shoppers.

As part of the move, Amazon is winding down local fulfilment operations, including Amazon Fresh and its grocery partner network. It said sellers and vendors are being supported through alternative arrangements, a change that comes amid a consumer-led shift in how customers in Singapore shop, with growing interest in products shipped from markets such as the United States, Japan, and Germany.

Yeo’s Yeo Hiap Seng

Yeo Hiap Seng, better known as Yeo’s, also announced retrenchments in March. Twenty-five employees at its Senoko facility were affected as the company moved its can production into Malaysia. Yeo’s said the change allows better use of manufacturing capacity across its network.

Its Senoko location will remain the company’s headquarters and continue to support logistics and selected production functions, following earlier workforce cuts linked to changing buying habits, cost pressures and operational shifts.

Tiger Beer’s Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore

One of the biggest moves came from Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore (APBS), the company behind Tiger Beer. In March, APBS announced plans to reduce brewing activity at its Tuas plant and move production to regional sites in Malaysia and Vietnam by the end of 2027. Around 130 jobs are expected to be affected.

The company said the Singapore site will not disappear but shift towards regional logistics, innovation work and a pilot brewery setup. The move follows an earlier restructuring exercise in late 2023.

PropertyLimBrothers

Property agency PropertyLimBrothers entered a period of internal change after leadership issues became public earlier this year. Its media division laid off some staff in April while parts of the business were reorganised.

The company changes came after online speculation involving company leadership gained public attention, which was followed by leadership exits, and the firm later introduced a whistle-blowing channel as part of governance changes.

JLL (Real Estate)

Elsewhere, global real estate consultancy JLL also reduced its headcount in Singapore in April as part of an organisational restructuring.

The company said the changes were tied to long-term positioning as the real estate market adjusts to changing conditions, although it didn’t state how many employees were affected.

Layoffs must be communicated to workers in advance

Usually, layoffs are treated as isolated company news, but this year’s pattern suggests something more far-reaching as manufacturing firms are moving production closer to lower-cost locations.

Property businesses are tightening operations, and large tech firms are reallocating resources rather than pursuing local expansion. Singapore has been through cycles like this before; what stands out now is how many sectors are adjusting simultaneously.

For workers, company restructuring is becoming the norm as businesses reshape themselves amid current economic conditions. Nevertheless, it must be communicated to workers in advance when such major changes are coming.

Staff cannot control market conditions, but better early notice, support, and retraining give people a fairer chance to move forward instead of being caught off guard.

Read related: ‘Who am I without my work?’ — Singapore worker grieves after losing her job and the identity it gave her

This article (Singapore retrenchments 2026: Amazon, Tiger Beer, Yeo’s, and more firms cut jobs amid rising energy costs and weak demand) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.