I survived a round of layoffs. Now I’m feeling on-edge.
Mackenzie Waldron is a writer focused on ensuring workers have the information and resources they need to thrive. She explores topics that come up on Empower Work’s free, confidential text line and brings research-backed approaches to support you.
Going through layoffs sucks. Employees experience a range of feelings before, during and after layoffs. From the first whispers of possible layoffs, employees can feel turned around and afraid. The not knowing and painstaking waiting can be unbearable.
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Being on-edge during layoffs is not a good feeling. You may be left feeling anxious, stressed, and overwhelmed. How could you possibly avoid these emotions with the possibility of layoffs hanging over your head?
Layoffs can also leave the surviving employees with overwhelming emotions. There can be a short sense of relief that you still have your job but then reality can quickly set in. The remaining employees also experience negative effects after layoffs— ongoing job instability, pressures from taking on more work, ‘layoff survivor guilt’, fear of retaliation, and a fallback of personal growth at the company.
It’s important to understand and acknowledge your emotions and the effects of layoffs and how to address them.
Job instability
After a round of mass layoffs or rumors of layoffs have begun to spread, it’s completely valid to have the fear that you may be laid off next. Layoff anxiety is a common and valid feeling that people have in a work environment where their fellow coworkers have been laid off. This can leave you feeling stressed and unsure about if your job is secure.
As an Empower Work help seeker shared:
“It makes me worried about my job. The company just did a big layoff which I survived. “
If you are feeling fear around losing your job, it’s always a good idea to be proactive and begin to update your job search materials.
Taking on more work
When a company lays off employees without hiring new talent, this usually leaves the remaining employees with more work on top of their own, sometimes without a raise or promotion. This causes employees to feel burned out, undervalued, and overworked.
As one Empower Work help seeker shared:
“As of last week, they fired everyone except me... and insist it's fine…they're dumping all the other people they fired workloads on me.”
Layoff survivor guilt
After surviving a round of mass layoffs, your first feeling may actually be relief. And then you may feel guilty when you think about the coworkers who were let go. This is a completely normal feeling, and there’s a term for it—layoff survivor guilt. Losing coworkers that you were close to and had a shared experience with can be challenging. It’s normal to feel relieved for yourself, yet upset about your coworker being fired. These are confusing feelings as a result of a situation that is not your fault.
As one Empower Work help seeker shared:
“We've had a small round of layoffs…I'm upset that this happened at all. I really like my colleagues. I'm scared that this is the first of many layoffs, even though they said it wasn’t. I'm mad that the leadership decided to do this.”
Fear of retaliation
After a round of layoffs, it’s common to have fears of being fired next. With this fear hanging over your shoulder, it’s normal to be afraid to speak up about anything at work because you’re worried you’ll be retaliated against. Maybe you were wanting to ask about receiving a raise or a promotion before the layoffs occurred, but now you’re afraid this ask will get you fired next. Or maybe you want to report something, but you’re worried this will give your boss cause to fire you. This may leave you feeling stifled, overwhelmed, and isolated.
Fallback of personal growth
It’s possible that after a round of layoffs, you may feel forgotten about, undervalued, and like your growth at the company is no longer a priority. This is not a good feeling. With the fear of speaking up because of retaliation, it may feel intimidating to speak up and ask your boss about your growth plan. Maybe you were on the road to getting a promotion or a raise before the first round of layoffs, and now you’re left feeling lost on that path.
As an Empower Work help seeker shared:
“We have had recent layoffs so the promotion that I have been promised was pushed until this month… Yesterday, I was delivered a CAR [Corrective Action Request]—a corrective action that eliminates a possible promotion for 6 months…I asked if there was a plan for my position and she [my manager] said she did not know.”
Coping with feelings about layoffs
These effects and feelings around layoffs are challenging and overwhelming. There are ways to cope with these feelings and to get support.
Acknowledge and validate your feelings.
Chances are, you’re not alone in these feelings at work. Don’t brush away your emotions because you feel guilty for feeling upset, even though you didn’t get laid off. It’s okay to not be okay in your experience. Your reaction and your feelings are completely valid.
Remember, this is not your fault.
Feelings of guilt can be tricky. It’s easy to feel at fault for keeping your job while others are being laid off. It’s important to remember that this situation is out of your control, and that none of this is your fault. It’s okay to feel sad and offer support for your coworkers who have been laid off, but also remember that you’re not to blame.
You can offer support for your coworkers who have been laid off in several ways—offering a recommendation, inviting them to your professional networks, or sharing their resume with others you know who may be hiring.
Be prepared and proactive
Take this time to focus on you and your needs. You are the only one who can do this, so it’s important to take charge and put yourself in the best possible position going forward. This can mean seeking growth in your current company or elsewhere. Either way, it’s important to be ready.
If you were on the fast track to a raise or promotion before the layoff, it’s okay to ask for a status update. This can be intimidating so take your time, read the temperature of the company and your boss and find a time when it’s comfortable to ask about your future growth. You may learn that it’s still on track, delayed or it might not be possible at this time. Even if you don’t like what you hear, you will know and can take that information to help you plan for the future you have worked hard for and deserve.
You can prepare for a job change by taking time to update your resume, gather and lock in potential references and consider updating your online work profiles. Another option is to seek out and join organizations that support your job or industry. You can also build up your skills by taking classes or pursuing a certification. Being prepared can help you transition faster and easier whenever the time comes.
Reach out for support
If it feels like the threat of layoffs persists, chances are, there is a whole community of people who have the same mixed feelings that you do. Whether it’s your remaining coworkers, your laid off coworkers, or workers from a completely different company or industry that are experiencing similar work environments. Talking to one another, sharing resources, and offering support can bring together a community and uplift individuals in that community.
If you’re experiencing overwhelming feelings about layoffs and you need a sounding board or a thinking partner to help you figure out your next steps, reach out to an Empower Work peer counselor by texting 510-674-1414.
*Note: Empower Work provides non-legal support for workplace challenges. This information, while authoritative, is not legal advice or guaranteed for legality. Employment laws and regulations vary by state. We recommend consulting with state resources for specific interpretation and decisions. If you believe you were discriminated against in violation of the law, we recommend you seek legal advice.