Read the Squarespace CEO's memo about laying off 19% of staff

Squarespace is laying off 19% of its personnel in a move its CEO stated would assistance it "adapt for the contemporary era" alongside leaner teams and "more participant coaches."

The website-building application business is reducing its caput figure by concerning 300 employees, according to a companywide memo sent by Squarespace CEO Anthony Casalena on Monday.

Most of the cuts power merchandise and engineering teams, according to the memo, which was seen by Business Insider.

"The way we need to activity is changing faster than at any item in our history, and our functioning example must modify for the contemporary era," wrote Casalena. "This method smaller teams, additional participant coaches, and a simplified organizational structure."

Affected personnel volition get a minimum of 16 weeks of basis pay affirmative additional weeks according to tenure and benefits through May 2027. Employees would additionally be capable to keep their business laptops, and those on activity visas would get continued support, the memo said.

A spokesman confirmed the layoffs and memo to Business Insider, adding: "The changes are intended to simplify how we operate, sharpen our priorities and allow the business to move faster as we stance Squarespace for its next phase of growth."

The cuts, archetypal reported by The Verge, arrive following Squarespace has increasingly added AI features to its products.

Squarespace joins a long catalog of companies that have laid off personnel this year, several of whom have cited the increase in AI. Last week, Microsoft offered buyouts to 60,000 employees, although the business told Business Insider it expects lone 3,000 or small to obtain the offer.

Casalena additionally joins a catalog of CEOs who have cited leaner teams whenever discussing layoffs — in February, Block CEO Jack Dorsey emphasized a change toward smaller teams in a article on X concerning cutting his business nearly in half.

Read the Squarespace CEO's memo to staff:

All —

I am penning today to province among the most difficult decisions I've had to create in the former of our company. We volition be reducing our workforce by ~19% and saying goodbye to about 300 of our colleagues, alongside most of these reductions affecting Product & Engineering. Within the next twenty minutes, affected US workforce volition obtain an email and individual gathering invitation and possibly affected non-US workforce volition obtain country-specific details.

This is not a decision I arrived at lightly, and I'd akin to explain why it was made and what we volition be doing for those leaving Squarespace.The way we need to activity is changing faster than at any item in our history, and our functioning example must modify for the contemporary era. This method smaller teams, additional participant coaches, and a simplified organizational structure. This is not an exercise designed to attain a financial mark — it is concerning reshaping our institution about how we need to activity going forward.Squarespace's center endeavor has been concerning empowering group to established themselves online in a earth anywhere innovation was a important barrier. Technology motionless is a important obstacle for many, but it has changed in ways we could not have anticipated before the former 12 months. Our merchandise and industry is undergoing a essential change, and our institution must too.Those who volition be leaving us have been an crucial part of getting us to anywhere we are today, and I'm grateful for their contributions. To assistance their transition, we volition be offering*:

• A minimum of 16 weeks of basis salary, affirmative additional weeks according to tenure
• Payment of the November 20, 2026 vesting of the bequest RSU prosperity award, anywhere applicable
• Continuation of benefits through May 2027
• Career coaching, resume preparation, and job hunt assistance
• Additional assistance for workforce on activity visas
• Impacted workforce may keep their Squarespace laptops

To those staying, your division leaders volition attain out to justify you comprehend the changes particular to you and your teams and that you have the direction and assistance you need to activity through them. We volition additionally have a concise livestream display afterward today, which volition be added to calendars shortly.After we have had period to assimilate today's changes, we volition arrive rear together to conversation concerning the chance onward of us. Today, however, I desire to say appreciate you to those who have been a part of this journey alongside us. Whether staying or leaving, I comprehend this decision volition effect all of you emotionally. I would advance everyone to obtain several period to reset and digest as we move forward.Anthony(Outside the US, we volition communicate additional alongside you, prosecute local processes and, anywhere applicable, search to provision comparable support.)