This week, I experienced a wave of layoffs at Abbott Laboratories where I work. The company is undergoing a major restructuring, merging two diagnostic businesses into one entity starting in January. Unfortunately, this has already led to job losses, and the atmosphere is quite grim. What’s particularly unsettling is that it’s not just about cutting positions; entire departments are being dismantled, and long-standing teams are being split up. Many of us are left in the dark about our new reporting structures and responsibilities, which adds to the anxiety. Some employees are unsure about who they will report to or where they will be working, and there’s a palpable concern over losing experienced team members. Management has even admitted that the level of support we had before will not be possible after the restructuring. Despite the chaos, leadership keeps insisting that this is an exciting time for the company and that we need to focus on finishing 2026 strong. It feels surreal to be told to stay motivated while watching colleagues lose their jobs and teams that have worked together for years get torn apart. Leadership claims that no further layoffs are expected, but it’s hard to trust that when the restructuring will continue into 2027 and so much remains uncertain. It’s disheartening to see the company dismantling teams while celebrating what they call a bright future. For those of us who are left, it’s hard to find anything exciting about this situation.