Imagine waking up, checking your inbox and finding your job.
No warning. There are no meetings. A subject that says everything and explains nothing.
For millions of Americans, this has become a new norm. According to Zety’s 2025 Layoff Experience Report57% of layoff workers were notified via email or phone. Another 2% just found themselves let go when they suddenly lost access to internal systems, such as Slack or company email.
It’s not just a failure of HR, it’s a cultural change. And it raises the question: how do we really want to deal with one of the most vulnerable moments in a person’s career?
The cold front of the layoff
Zety has investigated nearly 1,000 US workers who have been fired within the past two years. The results are impersonal, but show an increasingly general approach to letting people go.
- 70% have been fired in the last six months
- 19% have been fired in the past month
- 21% were completely blinded
- Only 30% of people were notified face to face
The rest was said as follows:
- Email (29%)
- Telephone (28%)
- Video Call (5%)
- Internal rumors (6%)
- System lockout (2%)
In fact, this approach has been adopted by major employers. Google Drew Public scrutiny After laid off hundreds of employees by email without in-person meetings or personal contacts. The whole team learned to end when access to internal tools was blocked. CBS News. The move sparked a backlash from workers who felt the company failed to support the basic standards of transparency and respect.
Why are companies doing this?
It is worth acknowledging reality before blaming corporate leaders for lack of empathy. Layoffs on this scale are difficult to manage.
For businesses with tens of thousands of employees (often spread across time zones and continents), direct reductions in the workforce may not be practical. Legal counsels usually recommend that you announce layoffs at the same time to prevent leaks and ensure consistency. Also, remote first organizations may not be able to meet the offices and managers you can enter.
Still, the way messages are delivered is important. What’s efficient for leadership allows the recipient to feel inhuman. That disconnect could erode morale, trust, and even brand loyalty both inside and outside the company.
“When layoffs are processed via email or by quick phone calls, they send clear messages to employees. There’s no actual time for conversation.” “That may not be the intention, but the effects continue.”
It’s not always about performance
Delivery is painful, but so is the reason behind it. According to Zety:
- 54% of employers cited cost savings
- 45% quoted company restructuring
- 44% pointed to a decline in financial performance
- Only 5% of workers believed that personal performance was the main reason
That’s the problem. It reinforces what many laid-off employees already know: this is not about you, it’s about them.
And while some layoffs are inevitable in a turbulent economy, how they are treated is often more talked about than the reasons behind them.
What workers want
So what do workers say will make the experience better?
- 65% wanted a better retirement package
- 64% asked for more career support
- 49% wanted better communication
- 35% wanted more advanced notifications
Still, despite the emotional sacrifice, an astonishing 90% said they would consider returning to the company that left them. That willingness may be attributed to job market uncertainty, but it also suggests something deeper.
Things you can do before and after a call
Whether you brace for a layoff or recover from 1, the best time to control your career is before someone else does. Escalella recommends these steps.
- Update your resume and online profile now. Don’t wait for the crisis to refresh the material.
- Network while you are still employed. Join industry groups, stay active on LinkedIn, and put your name in the mix.
- Practice your story. You learn how to honestly explain layoffs in interviews, but they don’t sound bitter.
- Understand the right to exit. Please request in writing details of your retirement and do not hesitate to negotiate or seek legal counsel.
- Start learning. Whether it’s a certification, upskill, or a new platform, you’re ready to pivot.
Financial Educator Steve CummingsFounder of , Budget makes centsbeing laid off can be emotionally disorienting, especially unexpected. However, he emphasizes the importance of regaining financial management as soon as possible.
“Start with what you can control. Quickly cut costs, secure health insurance options, and know exactly how much time your savings carry. Then move your energy into income recovery. Tap side gigs, freelance, and networks to keep momentum going while you search for the next opportunity.”
Layoffs have long been a reality of working life and are part of a business cycle that has risen along with markets, mergers and administrative decisions. But what’s changing is how they are handled. Impersonality doesn’t need to mean carelessness, and operational efficiency doesn’t have to come at the expense of empathy.
If a company chooses to break up with an employee via email, what it can do can be followed up with humanity.
