An opinionated post on layoffs

Ronak Agrawal
Feb 6, 2023
2 min read

[Feb 6, 2023]

Seeing a lot of pain and stress around me with the layoffs that have occurred and continue to happen.

I have had more than a few conversations in the recent past with folks in my circle.

The stress is real. It's difficult for everyone who's part of the layoff.

While no piece of advice can make it go away, taking a calmer approach may help respond to the situation better than reacting to it.

IMO, one should realize a few things.

The majority of the layoffs are possibly not personal. So it's not you who screwed up.
The biggest insecurities tend to surface during such low times. They are not the reason for you being let go. The org might not think about you as much as you think they do.
The pain is a lot more for folks who have their work as a major part of their identity. Realize, it's every person for themselves. While toiling hard for learning and growth might be okay, the boundaries between learning and working long hours are often fuzzy. Take care of yourself.
It might feel justified to feel vulnerable and snap at family/friends. Don't. Know that they are the ones standing with you now and not the folks whom you spend your most energy with. Make sure to make a note of what is permanent and what is temporary.
If the layoff news came suddenly to you, question/understand the nature of transparency executed in the organization v/s the one you believed. Note the difference, if any.
It’s easy to target organizations as villains, they are likely not(?). It's the situation that's messed up. Not a particular leadership(as far as my current understanding goes). Unsure if one should make this an employer vs employee thing. It's possibly just every person looking out for themselves.
Also, you are partly at fault for thinking that the engagement with the organization was more than a transaction. You get compensated for your time. Nothing more, nothing less.
It might be a far from perfect/justified system, but it is the system we are a part of. Understanding it better can only help you navigate better in the future.