Director Desmond Chng featured in HRD Asia’s article on responsible retrenchment in Singapore

25 Nov 2025

Director Desmond Chng was featured in Human Resources Director (HRD) Asia’s article, “Layoffs and lifelines: How employers can better support employees through business restructuring or closures.” 
 
In the article, Desmond emphasised that retrenchment should be the last resort and carried out in a responsible and sensitive manner. He highlighted the importance of early communication and supporting affected staff in their transition to new employment, so that they have time and space to adjust to the news and prepare for the transition.
 
He noted that the selection of affected employees must be objective and based on merit. Employers should be mindful and manage the risks of decisions that could be perceived as discriminatory in situations involving the protected characteristics, including age, nationality, sex, marital status, pregnancy, caregiving responsibilities, race, religion, language ability, disability, and mental health condition. Discriminatory practices will be investigated and may result in enforcement action such as curtailing work pass privileges, and the upcoming Workplace Fairness Act will allow employees to seek monetary compensation for discrimination.
 
You may click here to read the full article that appears on HRD Asia.