Since the pandemic normalized hybrid work and virtual communication, a number of companies have been emboldened to take a more impersonal approach to conducting layoffs. When Intuit cut 10% of its workforce last summer—framed as performance-related layoffs—employees were instructed to look out for a calendar invite that would indicate whether they were impacted. In April, Tesla informed its employees about layoffs through an email; some employees reportedly only learned they had been let go when they showed up to the office and found their badges no longer worked.
According to a recent Wall Street Journal report, employers may be doubling down on this approach to layoffs, despite the bad press that has followed some companies after callous job cuts. In December, when General Motors announced a year-end round of layoffs—which eliminated 1,000 jobs—employees were notified via email. One engineer who lost his job was alerted to the news with a cryptic text message that said he should check his email, the Journal reported; impacted workers were directed to call a hotline if they had questions about their employment status.
Layoffs have long been a minefield for HR and people teams, who are often tasked with striking a balance between treating impacted employees with compassion and not disclosing more information than necessary, particularly when companies are making widespread cuts. Even in instances where employers offer more generous severance packages or continued access to healthcare coverage, they can botch how they communicate layoffs, offering workers little to no accountability or transparency.
The pandemic ushered in a period of more frequent layoffs, as tech companies and other employers navigated an economic downturn and cut thousands of jobs (if not tens of thousands) over the past few years. The rise of remote work also spurred some companies to take more liberties with how they announced layoffs to employees: Some leaders, like Better.com CEO Vishal Garg, made headlines in 2022 for firing 900 workers over a Zoom call. Long before Elon Musk issued layoffs at Tesla via email, he drew attention for swiftly cutting half of Twitter’s workforce after acquiring the company.
It seems employers are still struggling with how to do layoffs in a humane fashion—or perhaps they have concluded that there is no good way to cut jobs en masse. But experts say that even when companies are firing hundreds or thousands of employees, there are steps they can take to lessen the blow in a difficult moment. A company-wide email or announcement might be necessary to ensure employees find out at the same time, but it can still help to hear directly from a manager or someone an employee knows. Some employers create alumni groups for laid-off workers or offer specific support for those with extenuating circumstances, like employees who are on work visas.
Companies sometimes forget that it’s not just impacted employees who take note of how they conduct job cuts. Morale and productivity often takes a hit following layoffs, and the employees who remain are more likely to leave for another job. As HR expert and FairComp CEO Nolan Church previously told Fast Company: “People will always remember how you make them feel, regardless of [whether] they are currently impacted or not.”
