LinkedIn slashing 716 jobs, shutting down China-focused app

Roughly a week after celebrating its 20th birthday, LinkedIn is laying off hundreds of employees and closing InCareer — its local jobs app in China.

In an email to staff on May 8, CEO Ryan Roslansky said 716 jobs will be eliminated as the social media platform makes changes to its Global Business Organization (GBO) and China strategy.

“While we’re making meaningful progress creating economic opportunities for our members and customers and experiencing record engagement on the platform, we’re also seeing shifts in customer behaviour and slower revenue growth,” Roslansky said.

“In an evolving market, we must continuously have the conviction to adapt our strategy in order to make our vision a reality.”

The reduction comes just months after Microsoft, LinkedIn’s parent company, announced in January that it was laying off 10,000 employees.

Roslansky added that the company will phase out InCareer by August 9, 2023.

“Though InCareer experienced some success in the past year thanks to our strong China-based team, it also encountered fierce competition and a challenging macroeconomic climate.”

According to news outlets, including Reuters, LinkedIn employs a global workforce of approximately 20,000 people.

Impact on Canadian staff

LinkedIn didn’t disclose how many Canadian employees are affected by the latest round of cuts.

While the social media platform utilizes a hybrid work model, it does have an office in Toronto.

According to the company’s LinkedIn page, it employs more than 300 people in Canada.

Major tech layoffs continue

LinkedIn joins the growing list of major North American tech companies that have announced sweeping layoffs in 2023.

Several big names, including Shopify, Unity Software, Dropbox, Lyft, Meta, Amazon, Alphabet, and Clearco, are significantly scaling back their staffing levels as they continue to navigate challenging economic conditions.

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Termination agreements for LinkedIn employees

As part of the layoff announcement, Roslansky said “U.S. benefit-eligible employees will receive a variety of benefits, including severance pay, continuing health coverage, and career transition services.”

He added that benefits for affected LinkedIn workers outside the U.S. “will align with the employment laws and local practices in each country.”

In Canada, non-unionized employees at social media platform are owed full severance pay when they lose their jobs due to downsizing or corporate restructuring.

This includes individuals working full-time, part-time, or hourly in Ontario, Alberta, and B.C.

Severance can be as much as 24 months’ pay, depending on a number of factors.

LEARN MORE
• Severance for technology industry employees
• Severance for provincially regulated employees
• Severance packages in mass layoffs

WATCH: Employment lawyer Lior Samfiru explains why you are still owed severance if you have been downsized on an episode of the Employment Law Show.

Before you accept any severance offer, have an experienced employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP review it and your employment contract.

We can tell you if what you have been provided is fair and how to get proper severance if it falls short of what you are actually owed.

If you don’t receive the full amount, which happens often, you have been wrongfully dismissed and are entitled to compensation.