‘Why me?’: Retrenchment handbook addresses tough layoff conversations and other HR issues

SINGAPORE – “Why me and not someone else?” “Is AI doing my job now?”

These are among the difficult questions the second edition of Responsible Retrenchment – The Exit Management Handbook encourages employers and human resources (HR) practitioners to prepare for.

Written by Career Agility International founder and chief executive Adrian Choo and the firm’s co-founder and executive director Sze-Yen Chee, the book was launched on July 30 at an event in High Street Centre featuring opening remarks by NTUC assistant secretary-general Patrick Tay.

In the foreword, Tay said technological disruption is changing the profile of retrenched workers, with younger professionals increasingly among those losing their jobs as companies restructure. He added that the labour movement was seeing “a historic, worrying surge in younger, early-career workers caught completely unprepared, alongside a staggering rise in PMET retrenchments”.

Speaking during a panel discussion at the event moderated by Chee and joined by Choo, as well as senior HR leaders Rachel Foo and Tan Ai Sim, Tay said Singapore’s shrinking local workforce has made people management an increasingly important challenge for employers.

He added that companies would need to adopt a more people-centric approach to managing their workforce, including during retrenchment exercises.

Choo said during his speech at the launch that a successful retrenchment exercise is “one you don’t read about in the news”.

Elaborating to The Straits Times later, he said he was referring to layoffs that are handled so carefully and responsibly that they do not escalate into disputes requiring the intervention of the National Trades Union Congress or become the subject of negative publicity.

Choo and Chee, who founded Singapore-based career coaching, outplacement and HR consulting firm Career Agility International in 2017, told ST the second edition of their book was prompted by significant changes to Singapore’s retrenchment landscape since it was first published in 2019.

They said that many organisations were still operating on outdated assumptions despite changes including the Workplace Fairness Act 2025, updated retrenchment notification requirements and a tighter mid-career job market.

The book helped many companies manage retrenchments during the Covid-19 pandemic, they said, adding: “Since then, new guidelines have been recommended, and with the Workplace Fairness Act 2025, HR practitioners and business leaders will need to be updated on their obligation.”

Among the new additions are recent case studies of companies that made mistakes during retrenchments, which the authors said are intended to serve as “cautionary tales” for organisations planning layoffs.

The revised edition also places greater emphasis on managing the digital narrative surrounding retrenchments, to help employers protect their brand reputation in the age of social media.

It also expands its collection of practical advice from senior HR leaders, incorporating their lived experiences and best practices for managing workforce restructuring.

The latest edition also reflects the support ecosystem now available to affected employees, with the aim of helping organisations conduct retrenchments responsibly while supporting workers through career transitions.

The book can be downloaded for free at Career Agility International’s website. According to the company, the handbook is intended to be a “living” resource that will be updated whenever there are changes to retrenchment guidelines or employment regulations. Users who download the digital version will be notified by e-mail whenever updates are released.