Business Insider Faces Fourth Consecutive Year of Layoffs Amid Newsroom Reductions

Business Insider is undergoing layoffs for the fourth consecutive year, marking another round of workforce reductions in 2026. On Thursday, Editor-in-Chief Jamie Heller sent an internal letter to employees detailing the company’s decision to scale back operations through a reduction in workforce.

New York Times media reporter Ben Mullin shared the news on social media, noting that the layoffs would impact fewer than 5% of the newsroom.

“As part of Business Insider’s transformation, we are continuing to sharpen our coverage around the areas where we have deep relationships with our core loyal audience. Our goal is to be indispensable on the topics that matter most to them,” Heller wrote in the statement obtained by TheWrap. “At times, that requires changes to our newsroom. We have decided to scale back in a few places, including legal affairs, while we continue to invest in others, such as workplace and markets.”

Heller’s statement also addressed the emotional impact of the layoffs:

“Today, some colleagues from our U.S. newsroom will be departing Business Insider. Those impacted will be notified by our People Culture team within the next 15 minutes. These decisions are never easy. I am grateful to our departing colleagues for the talent, effort, and care they have brought to Business Insider.”

The Insider Union responded to the layoffs, revealing that 10 newsroom employees were affected. The union criticized management for proceeding without consulting them:

“We are devastated, for the fourth time in four years, to see Business Insider’s management push out 10 more of our talented coworkers during layoffs this morning,” the union stated. “We expect management, who so far have failed to bring anything to the negotiating table, to do right by our valued coworkers that they are pushing out today by following our existing contract, as well as everyone left in the newsroom by bargaining in good faith over all the proposals we bring and have brought to the table.”

The union emphasized its ongoing efforts to secure better terms for employees:

“As we’ve had to say in past statements when management has opted for layoffs rather than collaboration and strategy, there is no Business Insider – or Axel Springer, for that matter – without us. Each of the four times now, we’ve faced layoffs as a union, we’ve come together and fought for voluntary buyouts and a better deal. We will continue that fight now.”

Business Insider is not alone in facing workforce reductions in 2026. Earlier in May, The Daily Wire implemented cuts across multiple teams, with a significant portion concentrated at its Nashville headquarters. Former employee Candace Owens suggested that at least 50% of the company’s staff was affected.

In April, Disney announced layoffs totaling 1,000 people across its Marvel and PR divisions.