Emerge BPO Downsizes in Guyana

Customer services provider Emerge BPO has reportedly laid off employees in Guyana in response to loss of a contract it had landed with an international customer.

In a statement, the BPO provider confirmed it is downsizing operations in the South American country, but did not disclose how many jobs will be lost.

Guyana Times reports that “hundreds of employees” would lose their jobs, citing a termination letter it had access to at the company’s campus.

The loss of the contract, according to the daily, would result in millions of US dollars in lost revenue.

When contacted by Nearshore Americas, Emerge BPO’s CEO Heidi Solomon-Orlick declined to give more details.

All the affected employees will be provided with “separation remunerations” and other benefits, the BPO provider said in a prepared statement, adding that it would also assist them in finding jobs elsewhere.

“Business decisions such as these that directly impact the lives of employees are extraordinarily difficult; as such, the company has already consulted with the Ministry of Social Protection, and the Department of Labour and remains compliant throughout the process,” the statement added.

Emerge BPO was founded in 2008 by locals Adrian Collins and Carole Fletcher.

The news of the downsizing comes weeks after the BPO provider announced it would expand operations in Guyana by building a mega delivery center in the capital Georgetown. The delivery center, according to Guyana Times, was expected to take on more than 1,000 employees by the end of this year.

Although most of its staff are based in Guyana, the company also has offices in Canada and the US.