In brief

• Squarespace is cutting about 19 percent of its global workforce, roughly 300 of about 1,800 employees.
• Most reductions fall on product and engineering teams, according to a memo from CEO Anthony Casalena.
• Affected staff get at least 16 weeks of base salary, extra weeks based on tenure, and benefits through May 2027.

Job cuts hit product and engineering

Squarespace is reducing its global workforce by about 19 percent, which the company puts at around 300 employees (Web host Squarespace lays off 19% of its employees – TechCrunch) (Squarespace is laying off 19 percent of employees – The Verge). A company spokesperson confirmed the decision, saying the restructuring is meant to simplify operations, sharpen priorities and help the firm move faster as it prepares for its next phase of growth (Exclusive: Squarespace layoffs fall mostly on product and engineering – Investing.com).

Memo points to leaner teams

In a companywide memo sent on Monday, CEO Anthony Casalena said most of the reductions fall on product and engineering teams (Read the Squarespace CEO's memo about laying off 19% of staff – Business Insider). He wrote that the company must adapt to a faster-changing way of working, which he said would mean smaller teams, more "player coaches" and a simpler organizational structure.

Severance terms

Affected staff will receive a base-pay payout of at least 16 weeks, with extra weeks tied to length of service, and benefits continuing through May 2027, according to the memo. Employees will be allowed to keep their company laptops, and staff on work visas will receive continued support, the memo said.

Shift in the website-building market

The cuts come as the website-building market shifts under the influence of generative AI. So-called "vibe-coding" tools, which build functional front-end designs from simple prompts, have changed how users make sites and pushed the industry toward less manual effort. Squarespace's move reflects pressure on established builders to adjust their teams to that change.