I have more friends that’ve been laid off over the last decade than not. Lay-offs can be a radicalizing moment – you realize work is not your family, job stability when you’re not the boss is a precarious promise, and that even a depressingly widespread phenomena can feel crushingly lonely. I want to go deeper than lay-off posts on LinkedIn – I want to know how your boss handled it. If there were signs. Who the first person you told was. What you did for health insurance. If you have a group chat with your former colleagues (and what it’s called). That’s why I'm starting Laid Off, a weekly interview series with smart and cool people who were laid off. If that’s you (or someone you know), I’m collecting interviews, and I’d love to hear from you. You can subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/gWkAs7Xd & share your experience here: https://lnkd.in/gQ_4FxGa *UPDATE: I'll be temporarily pausing submissions once we hit 500 to make sure I have time to read through the ones already shared. I wish I could respond to each of your comments, but know that I'm reading them all + grateful for the support + experiences shared.
Suzanne W.
1mo
As some of my colleagues know, my mom was one of the first people I told I’d been laid off from Nike. She became very ill the next morning & was life-flighted. As she was being transported in Ohio, I was running to the airport in Florida. I will always wonder if my news triggered her passing. How I wish I hadn’t told her. I’d been traveling back & forth and she’d been so worried I’d lose my job trying to balance everything. The 6 months that followed have been a stressful blur, but I wouldn’t trade that time with her for anything 💖.
Rachel Cook
3w
I am still processing after being laid off in November '23. Working at a company for over a decade and being blindsided by being let go has made it so hard to "get back out there". Selfishly I don't ever want to be in that situation again. There is trauma associated with layoffs, a whole part of my life just disappeared in about a 15min Zoom call. Completely cut off from something cared about. When you put so much heart into the work you do and the team you've become a part of and then it's taken from you, you feel lost, embarrassed and uncertain that you were ever even good enough to be there in the first place. And the survivers of the lay offs deal with the taboo of talking or hanging out with someone who was let go. I do not wish this feeling on anyone.
I was laid off 4 weeks ago. I knew it was coming and honestly, I had mentioned to my boss that it might be my time to go. For me the whole process was smooth as silk, because I wanted it to be that way. Most of my colleagues have been cool and kept in touch, but I think it is so hard for the ones 'left behind', what do they say to you? I've been working in my industry for 30 years and this is my 4th layoff. The first 2 were downright unpleasant and handled badly. The 3rd one was sad as we closed the entire company. This one has hit differently as I felt it was coming so had 9 months to plan for it. I'm obviously looking for work. But being able to plan for this coupled with severance means I can now just apply for the jobs that I really really want to do. I'm looking for a personality fit, alongside a skill fit. I'm older and wiser now and fully understand that more often than not in a smaller company layoffs really are a business decision. I keep saying to people 'don't be bitter, it's not personal and bitterness clouds your judgement' my Momma said this to me 25 years ago when I was first laid off and it has stood me in good stead.
One thing that is rarely talked about with layoffs - shame. There is a layer of embarrassment, shame, and guilt. A feeling that I am supposed to go stand in the corner and think about what I've done. In an interview recently, someone with a LONG career in one place commented that I have "moved around a lot." I said, there is nothing more I want than to work in the same place for at least five years. However, I have picked an industry and a skillset that has worked well for me in so many ways, except this one. I am resourceful and resilient, but I would appreciate putting that energy into my work instead of LOOKING for work.
I have been laid off for a month now. It was my first layoff since I started my corporate career. The first person that I told was my dad. He was there with me through the whole process and It meant a lot to me. As soon as my co-workers found out they all stopped talking to me. It has been bittersweet. Sometimes I feel lonely, sometimes I'm positive. Today was hard since I got rejected from a job I thought I was good enough for. I am hoping to get good news soon.
Muhammad Umair
1mo
A boss's handling of layoffs significantly impacts employees. Clear communication, empathy, and transparency can help maintain trust and morale. Conversely, poor handling can lead to decreased engagement, trust, and productivity. Providing detailed reasons for layoffs and supporting affected employees are crucial steps.
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1moMy boss laid a quarter of the company off with just a few days of severance. Then a couple days later they paid everyone else their holiday bonus publicly on Venmo. A complete slap in the face. I wish there was less cultural tolerance for gambling with other peoples’ livelihoods. There is a massive difference between hiring for best-case future growth and hiring as you *actually* grow. I know because I ran a company that did the latter and I never had to lay off a single person, including over COVID. Layoffs are usually a leadership failure of long-term business strategy and should be seen as such.