Layoffs don't have to be brutal: This guide shows why
When Twitter initiated layoffs, some found out by losing access to company laptops and emails. But when Stripe announced layoffs, CEO Patrick Collison chose a different path, creating supportive alumni groups for every departing member. This starkly illustrates the reality of post-pandemic restructuring, especially in 2023—a year not just of economic concerns but a brutal wave of layoffs, with the tech industry losing 262,595 jobs alone.
But numbers only tell part of the story. 2023 wasn't just about cost-cutting; it was about the human cost of poorly handled layoffs, leaving employees voiceless. From abrupt Zoom firings to hasty Twitter cuts and Lazada's post-celebration shocks, companies displayed a concerning lack of transparency and disregard for human dignity.
How do we move forward? How can companies navigate workforce reductions with humanity and responsibility? Learn from the missteps of Twitter and Better.com and focus on people.
This guide by People Matters offers a 4-step approach that flips the script on traditional layoffs, putting people at the forefront of the process.