Global PR firm We. Communications lays off staff in S'pore, including at least 1 director

A round of layoffs had taken place at the Singapore office of global public relations (PR) firm, We. Communications, on Sep. 25.

At least one director was reportedly affected, with most being new hires who had been with the firm for less than two years.

Exit interviews and town hall

In an internal email seen by Mothership, the firm informed its staff that it was making a "difficult decision to reduce [its] workforce" in Singapore.

One reader told Mothership that the email was disseminated to staff at around 9:30am on Sep. 25.

The creative, digital, PR and communications, operations, special projects and integrated marketing departments were the most affected teams, the email read.

It explained that while the firm's client relationships and work remained strong, changes to its clients' operational approach have led to increased competition.

This led to the "unavoidable" layoffs.

The firm acknowledged the weight of the news as well as the contributions of affected employees.

It also sought the help of all other staff to respect the wishes of affected employees on how they wished to communicate the news.

Mothership understands that exit interviews were conducted throughout the day on Sep. 25, and a town hall with the We. Communications Singapore managing director was scheduled for that evening.

At least one director affected

Responding to queries from Mothership, a We. Communications spokesperson shared that the firm made the "difficult decision" to cut a small number of roles and realign parts of its business.

According to the spokesperson, eight staff, which represents seven per cent of the total headcount in Singapore, were affected.

The spokesperson also said that the firm had followed the Ministry of Manpower's responsible retrenchment recommendations.

They did not disclose details about the severance package offered.

"Our priority is to support affected colleagues with care and respect. This includes providing strong references and transition assistance," the spokesperson added.

According to The Business Times, affected staff held a range of positions, from entry-level roles to at least one director.

Most were new hires with less than two years at the company.

Certain benefits have been suspended till June 2026.

Responding to Mothership’s queries, the National Trades Union Congress said that We. Communications is a non-unionised company.

“Nonetheless, we know of workers who are members of the Singapore Industrial and Services Employees’ Union (SISEU), a union affiliated with NTUC,” it added.

NTUC said that it and SISEU are ready to offer their assistance to help members and workers transition to new job opportunities and provide financial support if needed.

It also directed workers to its guide on navigating retrenchment for more information.

2 per cent of its workforce laid off in June

Earlier in June, PR Week reported that 2 per cent of the PR firm's global workforce had been laid off, primarily affecting U.S.-based staffers.

The firm had then explained that the cuts were made due to budget reductions related to its technology sector clients, PR Week wrote.

The firm's largest technology client was Microsoft, which had undergone several rounds of layoffs.

As of May 2025, the U.S.-headquartered firm had 1,300 staffers globally on its payroll, PR Week reported.

We. Communications Singapore's LinkedIn profile shows that it has 51-200 employees.

Top image via We. Communications Singapore / Canva