About 100 co-workers have been laid off so far, Lazada employees who spoke to CNA estimated.

SINGAPORE: As Lazada workers filed back to the office in the new year, they could sense something was amiss as all the meeting rooms were booked up, with back-to-back slots.

Some got meeting invitations the night before, or just a few hours before the dreaded session at which they were informed that they had lost their job. Some people had to cancel their leave to come back for the sudden meeting.

A number of people cried, especially on Wednesday (Jan 3), as it was completely unexpected, employees told CNA.

This was how three Lazada employees, who spoke to CNA on condition of anonymity, described the retrenchment process, which began from Wednesday morning at the e-commerce giant's regional headquarters in Singapore.

They described it as "unfair", "opaque" and "baffling", adding that it has caused much anxiety and speculation among their colleagues due to the lack of transparency.