BBC tells some staff in Singapore bureau to reapply for jobs amid restructuring exercise
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A spokesperson for the BBC said the move is part of plans to revamp its service across the world.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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SINGAPORE – British broadcaster BBC has told 12 staff in its Singapore bureau to reapply for new roles after closing their positions.
Responding to queries from The Straits Times, a spokesperson for the BBC said the move is part of plans to revamp its service across the world.
The spokesperson said: “Last year, BBC News announced changes to the news channel to deliver a better round-the-clock service for audiences live from London, Washington DC, Sydney and Singapore.
“The operational changes in the BBC News Singapore bureau are part of this plan and will ensure there is a greater focus on live and breaking news both for and from the region.”
Affected staff have been given the chance to compete with external candidates for 11 new roles but were also told that they could be retrenched.
This means that at least one staff member will be laid off by the end of the recruitment exercise.
The exercise will create roles in the bureau’s News Channel team, which handles broadcast television news, and restructure its Work and Money team, which is responsible for the outlet’s business coverage across the Asia-Pacific.
Singapore has been home to BBC’s Asia headquarters since 2000, when the broadcaster decided to move from Hong Kong after decades in the former British colony.
Checks by ST of job portals found advertisements for full-time positions for six journalists, a producer and a news editor. Interviews for the roles start in late February.
The latest development follows a similar move at global banking giant HSBC, which asked hundreds of managers to reapply for jobs.
Offering existing employees the opportunity to reapply for new roles is a way for companies to redeploy them and minimise the need for retrenchments, said Ms Linda Teo, country manager of workforce solutions firm ManpowerGroup Singapore.
She said offering employees the chance to reapply for new roles aligns with Singapore’s guidelines on managing excess manpower and responsible retrenchment, which advises companies to explore alternatives to laying off workers.
Ms Teo said: “To ensure a smooth transition and minimise the impact of potential job losses, employers are advised to proactively look ahead and identify jobs that may be at risk and the skills that are likely to be in demand in the next three to five years.
“Employers are encouraged to stay updated on the latest trends, including technological advancements, market changes or strategic shifts and take pre-emptive measures to support the workforce through investing in employee development.”
Singapore Human Resources Institute executive director Alvin Aloysius Goh said the practice of asking employees to reapply for jobs in a company can be problematic if it is a means of bypassing fair employment practices and labour regulations.
He said: “While businesses may cite cost-cutting or restructuring as reasons, such actions can raise ethical and legal concerns, particularly if they result in less favourable employment terms for affected workers.”
Ethical hiring, transparent communication and fair treatment of employees will help maintain long-term business credibility and workforce stability, he added.
Ms Teo noted that while retrenchment benefits are not mandated by law, the Manpower Ministry “strongly encourages” all unionised and non-unionised employers to follow its advisory to provide retrenchment benefits to employees who have worked two years or more, and an ex-gratia payment to those who have worked for less than two years.
She added: “In the event employees who are retrenched feel they have been discriminated against during their dismissal, they are advised to file a claim with the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management with proof that the dismissal was wrongful.”
In July 2024, the BBC announced plans to cut 500 jobs
This came after a reduction of its headcount by 10 per cent, or nearly 2,000 roles.
Ang Qing is a correspondent covering local and international breaking news at The Straits Times, with a focus on the environment, crime, technology and social issues.
