The wave is no longer coming – it is already here. Here is what forward-thinking HR leaders need to do next.
2026 has just shortly passed its midpoint, and the tech sector is already rewriting the rules of employment at scale. Over 81,000 tech workers lost their jobs in Q1 2026 alone, the highest quarterly layoff figure the industry has seen in at least two years. And the names driving these numbers are some of the most profitable companies in the world.
Amazon announced 16,000 job cuts in 2026, framing the move as a drive to streamline reporting structures and speed up decision-making, even as it continues to post strong revenue growth. Atlassian cut 1,600 employees, 10% of its global workforce, on 11 March 2026, citing an AI-driven organisational restructuring. And Meta, perhaps most strikingly, announced a 10% reduction of roughly 8,000 employees, with cuts beginning in May 2026, the largest single corporate restructuring event in Asia’s technology sector this year.
What can HR leaders learn from this?
The impact of these cuts is being felt closer to home than many organisations may realise. For HR leaders, this is not a distant trend to monitor, it is an active pressure to prepare for.
Some organisations have taken steps beyond the legal minimum. FinTech company Block, for example, offered affected employees 20 weeks of salary plus an additional week’s pay for each year of service – a clear signal that how you exit employees matters, for individuals, for remaining staff morale and for your employer branding.
However, generous severance alone does not constitute a responsible exit strategy. Abrupt departures, with little support for what comes next, leave even well-compensated employees without the tools to process, plan or pivot. This is the gap that outplacement services are designed to close.
What Is Outplacement and Why Does It Matter Now?
Outplacement is a structured career transition support programme provided by employers to employees who have been made redundant. It typically includes career coaching, CV and interview preparation, job search strategy, access to talent networks, and emotional support throughout the transition.
For HR leaders managing or anticipating restructuring, here is why outplacement services should be a core part of your transition plan:
1. It protects your employer brand: Word travels fast, particularly in Asia’s tightly connected professional communities. How you treat departing employees is observed closely by those who remain, by future candidates, and by clients. Outplacement demonstrates that your organisation values its people beyond their tenure.
2. It supports remaining employees: When colleagues are let go, those who remain often experience anxiety, disengagement, and a dip in productivity. Knowing that departing colleagues are being well supported can significantly improve morale and retention among your retained workforce.
3. It reduces legal and reputational risk: Disgruntled employees who feel abandoned are more likely to pursue grievances. Outplacement, offered proactively and genuinely, reduces this risk and demonstrates good faith, particularly important in jurisdictions such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and India where employment practices are under increasing scrutiny.
4. It accelerates transition for affected employees: Professional outplacement coaches help individuals articulate their value, navigate a changed job market, and land roles faster. In a market undergoing significant structural shifts driven by AI, this kind of expert guidance is invaluable.
5. It fulfils your duty of care: Beyond compliance, HR leaders have an ethical responsibility to employees. Providing outplacement support is a meaningful way to honour that responsibility, and to demonstrate that your organisation’s values extend to how it handles difficult decisions.
What HR Leaders Should Do Right Now
Whether your organisation is in the technology sector or adjacent to it, the current wave of restructuring is a prompt to prepare. Here is a practical starting point:
- Review your redundancy and transition policies:
- Are they clearly documented?
- Do they reflect current best practices in the markets you operate in?
- Understand your legal obligations across jurisdictions
- In Asia, labour law requirements vary significantly between China, Japan, South Korea, and other markets. Getting this wrong is costly.
- Build outplacement into your restructuring framework now
- Reactive outplacement is far less effective than planned, integrated support.
- Communicate with care
- Invest in manager training so that difficult conversations are handled with empathy and dignity.
- Engage with an outplacement services provider.
- Managing outplacement in-house during a period of organisational stress is rarely effective, and the complexity multiplies when redundancies span multiple markets. A single restructuring may simultaneously affect employees in different locations, each with different legal obligations, cultural expectations and career transition norms. A dedicated outplacement services provider brings the expertise, objectivity, and regional scalability that stretched in-house teams cannot replicate under pressure.
At Links, we provide tailored outplacement services designed specifically for what you need. Whether you are managing a small restructuring or a large-scale reduction in force, our team of experienced career transition coaches supports your departing employees through every stage of their journey, from the initial shock of redundancy to securing their next opportunity.
If your organisation is navigating, or preparing for, workforce change, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss how outplacement services can support both your people and your business. Get in touch today!
Frequently Asked Questions About Outplacement Services
- What is outplacement and who is it for?
Outplacement is a structured career transition support programme provided by employers to employees who have been made redundant. It is relevant for any organisation planning or managing a workforce reduction, regardless of size or industry. Support typically includes career coaching, CV and interview preparation, job search strategy, and access to professional networks.
- When should we engage an outplacement provider?
Ideally, before a restructuring is announced. Having a provider in place allows support to begin immediately once affected employees are notified, which is when it matters most. Reactive outplacement is significantly less effective than support that is planned and integrated into your transition framework from the outset.
- Does outplacement only benefit the employees being let go?
Outplacement has a meaningful impact on your retained workforce as well. When remaining employees see that departing colleagues are treated with care and provided with genuine support, it reduces anxiety, maintains morale, and strengthens trust in leadership during an unsettling period.
- Is outplacement a legal requirement in Asia?
In most Asian markets, outplacement is not a statutory requirement. However, employment regulations vary significantly across the region, and the reputational and legal risks of handling redundancies poorly are considerable. Outplacement is increasingly regarded as a mark of responsible practice, particularly in markets such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and India where employment conduct is under growing scrutiny.
- Can outplacement support be delivered across multiple markets?
Yes, and this is where choosing the right provider matters.
- How is outplacement different from a generous severance package?
Severance addresses an employee’s immediate financial needs. Outplacement addresses what comes next, helping individuals navigate a changed job market, articulate their value to prospective employers, and secure their next role faster. Both have a role to play, but financial support alone does not constitute a complete or responsible exit strategy.