I'm Sorry You Had to Lay People Off. Now Here's What to Say (That Your Company Doesn't Want You To)

if you're a people leader who cares about people, tries to lead with integrity and had to deliver layoff news this week… i'm sorry.

you probably watched talented people… people you hired, people you advocated for, people who trusted you… log off their laptops for the last time. maybe you cried after. maybe you're still numb. maybe you're wondering if you should have done something differently. it’s one of the most brutal parts of people leadership, especially for those of us who actually care.

you didn't do anything wrong. and neither did they.

why there’s so many more layoffs today

here’s the truth about layoffs… Amazon just laid off 14,000 people. UPS cut 20,000. Citigroup is cutting 20,000. Google, Meta, Salesforce and the list goes on. this has never been about performance and people, it’s always about profit margins.

here's what keeps happening: during growth phases, companies pay top dollar for top talent. they need you to build the thing. once the thing is built and profitable, Wall Street wants to see those profit margins increase. and talent is the most expensive line item. so the top talent they attracted are first to go. because they don't need you anymore at that price. and they'll hire again. younger and cheaper. the cycle is getting more intense with AI accelerating this. jobs aren't coming back in the same numbers and the same form.

the most senior leaders won't say this explicitly. they'll talk about "market conditions" or "over-hiring" or "strategic realignment." the truth is simpler: they want to be more attractive to shareholders.

you are and have always been a line item on a spreadsheet.

you can't fix this. but you can tell the truth.

your job is not to make laid-off employees feel better. this is impossible. your job is to tell them the truth so they don't internalize a systemic failure as a personal one. you're not their savior. all you can hope is that you stewarded them well while they were there and that you can be a genuine resource for them after. put a reminder on your calendar to follow up with them in a week or two. just check in. you have no idea what a difference that makes. losing a job is in the top three most stressful life events, and in this economy it's devastating.

for the employees who were laid off, say something like this:

“this wasn’t about your performance. you are talented, valuable, and you did nothing wrong. this is about profit margins and shareholder value. the system is cutthroat, and it cuts people multiple times a year. we never know when it’s going to be our turn. i’m sorry this happened to you, and i’m here to support your transition however i can—references, introductions, whatever you need.

and for the employees who remain, your job is to tell them the truth that corporate jobs offer a false sense of stability and to make sure that each of them is getting what they need for this experience because no one is safe.

say something like this:

“i want to be honest with you. today, corporate jobs offer a false sense of stability. what happened to [names/team] could happen to any of us. i can't promise you that your job is safe, because i don't control that. what i can tell you is: get what you need from this experience. stack your money. build a safety net. set boundaries. take care of yourself and build your own narrative. don't wait for this place to take care of you. it won't.”

you can be the leader who protects the system, or you can be the leader who protects the people.

sending you so much love wherever you are,

m

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One more thing…shame on every senior leader who doesn't care. shame on the ones who think people are disposable. shame on the ones who deliver the "tough decisions" talking points without flinching. you know what you're doing. and so does everyone else.