LinkedIn’s CEO said on Monday it would cut 716 jobs amid ‘shifts in customer behaviour and slower revenue growth’. The company will also shut down its China-focused job application, according to a LinkedIn post by CEO Ryan Roslansky.

In message to employees, Roslansky said, “Over the years we've had to make hard decisions to ensure we were setting the company up to deliver on our vision, and I'm sharing one of those decisions today.  As we guide LinkedIn through this rapidly changing landscape, we are making changes to our Global Business Organization (GBO) and our China strategy that will result in a reduction of roles for 716 employees.”

Roslansky added, “With the market and customer demand fluctuating more, and to serve emerging and growth markets more effectively, we are expanding the use of vendors. We are also removing layers, reducing management roles and broadening responsibilities to make decisions more quickly.”

According to Reuters, LinkedIn, has grown revenue each quarter during the last year, but it joins other major technology companies including its parent in laying off workers amid a weakening global economic outlook. In the past six months, more than 270,000 tech jobs globally have been cut, according to Layoffs.fyi, which has been tracking the fallout.

Roslansky said the changes will also result in the creation of 250 new jobs in specific segments of the company’s operations, new business and account management teams starting on 15 May.

Employees impacted by the cuts would be eligible to apply for those roles.

Meanwhile, InCareer, the local jobs app in China, will be phased out by 9 August 2023.

The company said while InCareer experienced some success in the past year, it also encountered ‘fierce competition and a challenging macroeconomic climate.’

A LinkedIn spokesperson said the group will keep a presence in China to help companies operating there hire and train employees outside the country.

LinkedIn recently reported revenue rose 10% in constant currency to more than $3.70 billion; the increase was 8% on a reported basis.

 SIA research ranks LinkedIn as the second-largest job advertising firm globally.