Meta layoffs hit Singapore as tech giant cuts 11,000 jobs worldwide

Global job cuts by social media giant Meta have hit Singapore, according to sources and posts on professional networking platform LinkedIn.

There are at least 10 affected employees in Singapore, based on a count of LinkedIn posts and sources of The Straits Times.

The layoffs are set to affect 11,000 workers internationally, or about 13 per cent of Facebook's parent firm's 87,000-strong global workforce.

Those laid off in Singapore found out on Thursday morning via e-mail, according to LinkedIn users who said they were affected.

"As I was getting ready to head out to the office today, I decided to check my e-mails and rotation schedule, as I would, any other day," said LinkedIn user Syahid Ismail in a public post.

He identified himself as a business integrity escalations specialist at the firm on his profile page.

"That's when I saw the dreaded e-mail and the biggest fear of my career come true. I'm one of those affected by the #metalayoffs," he said, using a hashtag on the platform trending among those affected and those offering solidarity and support to them.

The wide-ranging cuts appear to affect a host of departments and roles, ranging from recruiters to product management, as well as those working in the firm's gaming division.

Meta's Asia-Pacific headquarters is located in Singapore's Marina Bay financial district.

The Straits Times has contacted Meta for comment.

The company, which is based in California, also owns social media platforms Instagram and WhatsApp. Its share price has tumbled about 70 per cent this year amid disappointing earnings as the company makes a major virtual reality foray into the metaverse.

The job cuts follow a series of mass layoffs at other global tech firms, such as Twitter and Microsoft.