The ripple effects of layoffs

The toll of layoff anxiety Getty Images As companies around the globe slash positions, many workers are steeping in worry that they’re next. For instance, writes Wilding: “If you feel helpless in the face of upheaval at your company, you may retreat and pull back on your efforts, which renders you a more likely candidate for cuts.” Employees who were told during the pandemic that their organisations were employee-centric and cared about their wellbeing simply don’t want to work for people who they feel they can’t trust – Anna Tavis Additionally, in this environment, writes Bentley’s Nurick, “ may be more careful about what they say and do. “Employees who were told during the pandemic that their organisations were employee-centric and cared about their wellbeing simply don’t want to work for people who they feel they can’t trust,” explains Tavis. “One might think that the harmful effects that layoffs have on laid off employees’ trust is limited to the company that laid them off,” says Klotz. “But this research suggests that being laid off makes it more difficult to build strong bonds with future employers as well.” For workers who are not laid off but fear that they might be, Klotz – who is credited with coining the term ‘Great Resignation’ in 2021 – says that a common response to feelings of job insecurity is to start searching for other jobs.