This year my company had some layoffs due to budget cuts. It’s not the first time I have experienced this type of environment, and I am sure it will not be my last.  During this time, as is to be expected, the stress levels are high coming from all parties and all directions.  Unless you are planning to retire it’s not a nice time.

When the announcement is made it either comes in an email and/or in a company-wide meeting.  Reasons and statistics are provided alongside the announcement and the waiting begins.  As employees we need to wait for those decisions to be made to see how many people will be cut and who will be selected to leave.  I am sure for those making those decisions it may be hard depending on your title.

I am not part of those people that make decisions, as for my career I have decided to stay away from management positions.  Being a manager is hard work and, in my opinion, one needs to be passionate about people and their career growth.  Around the layoff time I know it’s hard for some managers.  There are different ways to communicate and different styles but it’s still hard to tell someone you are no longer needed.  Something I don’t want to be involved with.

1 to 2 weeks prior to the news breaking out to the people selected, the rumors start.  The who is a possible candidate to be on the list or even who is on the list.  Depending on your team and your team leader you may have some reassurance.  Again, everything comes down to management style.  For managers, I’m sure it’s hard to continue or not continue to assign work to the employee that is being selected.  Managers are provided with resources to help throughout the process.  Not sure how helpful those resources are but they are provided.

As for the week of, everyone is checking on those blocked sites, not using their work computer of course, that tell you about layoffs.  Everyone is checking if they can get hits on anything.  The date people will be told, the number of people impacted; teams impacted anything that will provide some hope.  Everyone wants to be ready to receive the news as gracefully as possible.  But no one actually knows how they will react. There is a plethora of emotions and possible scenarios.  How can you prepare yourself mentally for that?  Everyone continues to work and pretends the day is not coming.

Then the day comes, and the stress levels are high.  Your manager can decide to tell the person impacted in the morning and have you take the rest of day off or they can decide to tell you till the end of the day.  It all depends.  You can either have the golden ticket or not.  Whatever that means to you at that point in time.

The company provides those selected some days after the news to finish up projects, transition work, pack up, say your goodbyes, and whatever else.  Everyone else staying for another round just watches and provides support for your peers.  This time and others in the past I’ve been lucky to stay for another round.  I’ve lost some great coworkers, but I’ve also gained some friends.

During the last day some people start sending their last email to anyone they have emailed during their time in the company.  Some emails are funny, some are sad, but most remain natural and provide personal contact information.  Some emails come as a surprise as good people are selected, people that have been with the company 15 plus years.  Some people don’t send emails and leave silently.  For those of us staying the next day at the office reveals who continues for another round.

Those selected will have the opportunity to be hired somewhere else, maybe somewhere better with more salary or bigger titles.  Those selected have the opportunity to start a new chapter that might take them to places they never imagined.