Latest News

Carousell reportedly retrenches 76 staff, those affected to get at least 3 months’ salary

Carousell retrenches 76 staff from business & tech departments

Carousell, a household name among Singaporeans, has conducted another round of layoffs, this time affecting 76 staff across the region.

Carousell CEO and co-founder Quek Siu Rui announced the layoffs during a townhall on Friday (6 Dec), reported The Straits Times (ST).

Source: SangHyuk Lee on Facebook

Carousell retrenches 46 S’pore-based staff

The 76 employees affected represent 7% of the homegrown company’s total workforce.

46 of them were based in Singapore, while the rest were from its seven other outposts in the region, including Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia.

Those who lost their jobs worked in the business and tech departments, according to a Carousell statement quoted by the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

Affected staff to get at least three months’ salary

A Carousell spokesperson told ST that those affected will receive a support package that includes compensation of at least three months’ salary.

They would get one month of salary for every year of service.

Medical and insurance coverage for them and their dependents would be extended till June 2025, and paid time-off balances and flexible benefits will be encashed, among other measures.

For foreign employees in Singapore, the company will support their relocation needs and ensure they can serve their full notice to remain in the country if they choose to do so.

Source: Carousell

Carousell retrenches staff amid slowdown in consumer demand

In its statement to SCMP, Carousell said the layoffs came amid an ongoing slowdown of consumer demand.

 

Thus, it decided to make adjustments “proactively” to “ensure the long-term sustainability and operational efficiency” of the group.

Nevertheless, the company would not be changing its strategy in the region as it believed there was “immense growth potential for e-commerce” here.

Union is helping displaced staff

The Creative Media and Publishing Union (CMPU) said in a statement on Friday that it worked with Carousell to ensure fair compensation packages for affected staff.

CMPU has also provided displaced workers with the necessary support, including offering job matching and career advisory resources.

Should they require skills upgrading, they can tap the Union Training Assistance Programme funding to offset their training course fees.

Various assistance programmes are also available to assist union members  facing financial hardship.

Carousell previously retrenched staff in December 2022

The latest round of cuts follows Carousell’s axeing of 110 employees, or 10% of its headcount, in December 2022.

At the time, Mr Quek apologised for the cuts, saying he would “take responsibility” for the decisions that have led to them.

He also admitted that he had made several “critical mistakes”, including underestimating the impact of growing the team size too quickly.

Also read: Lazada Lays Off S’pore Staff Suddenly, Ex-Employees Claim HR Booked Meeting Rooms To Break News

Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.

Featured image adapted from SangHyuk Lee on Facebook.

Jeremy Lee

Analog person making do with a digital world.

Recent Posts

S’pore couple travels to UK to eat baked potato, gets their food for free

"Just for a potato," said the amazed server.

14 Jan 2025, 12:35 am

Woman rescued from 10th-floor ledge of Tampines HDB block believed to have gotten stuck while cleaning windows

The person declined to be sent to the hospital, SCDF said.

13 Jan 2025, 11:31 pm

Opinion: Valid concern or catastrophising? Why S’pore writers may be missing the bigger picture on AI

Raising global concerns without proposing practical solutions risks coming across as hand-wringing rather than constructive…

13 Jan 2025, 6:17 pm

S’pore ranked most powerful passport in 2025, claims top spot for 2nd consecutive year

Singapore passport holders get visa-free access to 195 destinations.

13 Jan 2025, 6:07 pm

Woman’s carry-on goes missing from overhead compartment on Jetstar flight from Melbourne to S’pore

The total value of the items in the suitcase was estimated to be at least…

13 Jan 2025, 5:56 pm