GroupOn rival Living Social is closing its luxury furnished offices in New York, reports The Next Web, asking employees, including those in advertising and marketing, to work remotely. The Living Social offices are currently at 101 Fifth Ave. and reportedly takes up more than 60,000 feet of Manhattan office space rental—the building’s entire fifth floor.
The daily deals company made the decision to close its Seattle office last month, asking those employees to work remotely as well. In New York, however, employees who cannot work from home will be offered office space in an unreported area somewhere in the vicinity.
Living Social’s Events Team Facing Layoffs
A number of New York-based employees are facing layoffs, including Living Social’s events team, which created local special events like beach days and river tubing in over 30 markets across the country. The layoffs are expected to affect approximately 30 full-time workers. A number of part-time workers on the events team will also be let go, but Living Social would not verify the number that would be affected. The company will continue to offer local events, but instead will take each happening on tour to various markets.
Amazon Believes in Living Social Through Its Investment
Internet giant Amazon has invested heavily in Living Social, reportedly to the tune of $175 million. The startup employs 4,000 workers, of which more than half are in the United States. The company recently announced that it would be expanding its Tucson-area flagship customer-care call center by 50 workers.
