90Dfanatic's journey

I've been laid off five times throughout my career, and I've also had to lay off employees myself on several occasions. From my experiences, I can tell you that layoffs today often feel very different from the mass reductions in the past. It's common for individuals to feel gaslit and to blame themselves for perceived poor performance when, in reality, that usually has little to do with the decision to let them go. Companies can struggle for a long time, and after a big wave of layoffs, they often find that cutting jobs doesn't magically lead to growth. When financial pressure mounts, companies typically have two options: raise more money or tighten their belts. Unfortunately, many companies hesitate to conduct multiple rounds of layoffs because it signals deeper issues to creditors and clients, which can lead to a downward spiral. This is where the 'onesie/twosie' era comes into play, where managers are tasked with making cuts on a smaller scale, often with little direction and minimal notice, sometimes as frequently as every quarter. As a manager, I always tried to make fair decisions based on factors like skill replaceability and cost-effectiveness, but I've seen others use this time to settle personal scores or to favor friends. In some cases, decisions are made higher up, leaving managers to inform employees without any input. If a company is ethical, they will frame these smaller cuts as 'restructuring' and provide fair severance while assuring employees that their performance isn't the issue. However, some companies will claim they aren't laying off employees but are only cutting those with poor performance, which can lead to managers documenting minor issues to justify their decisions. This approach can also be used to minimize severance packages, and it can have a devastating impact on the mental health of those affected, causing them to doubt themselves at a critical time. The reality is that layoff decisions are often made quickly and can be influenced by a variety of factors, some rational and others not. If your performance was genuinely an issue, you would have received feedback through performance reviews or improvement plans. If you were not replaced after a layoff, it likely came down to budget cuts, plain and simple. I hope sharing these insights helps others navigate this challenging landscape, and I'm open to any questions.