What to say to coworkers who get laid off

2 hours ago7 min read

Watching colleagues get laid off triggers a peculiar social paralysis, a phenomenon I've observed repeatedly in workplace dynamics that mirrors the awkwardness surrounding personal loss. It's a corporate form of grief where well-meaning people fumble through interactions, often defaulting to platitudes that miss the mark entirely—'everything happens for a reason' feels as hollow in the conference room as at a funeral.Having occupied both sides of this equation—both the casualty and the survivor—I've witnessed how discomfort transforms ordinarily compassionate coworkers into avoidant ghosts. The underlying tension stems from our collective vulnerability; layoffs confront us with the fragility of our professional security, making us retreat when we should lean in.I recall my own termination from a startup contractor role where responses ranged from the comically self-centered ('how will we manage without you?') to the vacuously optimistic ('when one door closes. '), both failing to acknowledge the emotional whiplash of sudden unemployment.What stung most wasn't the job loss itself but the social disappearance—the abrupt cessation of Slack messages, the averted eyes in virtual meetings, the palpable discomfort that made me feel contagious rather than supported. Through interviews with dozens of professionals navigating career transitions, I've found the most meaningful responses share common traits: specificity over vagueness, presence over solutions, validation over reassurance.Instead of 'let me know if you need anything,' effective supporters might say 'I'm reviewing three companies in your field this week and will send you the job descriptions,' or 'I'd be honored to serve as a reference when you need one. ' My former boss demonstrated this beautifully by dedicating my final leadership meeting to colleagues sharing specific contributions they valued—not generic praise, but detailed recollections of projects where my input made tangible difference.That single gesture did more for my professional confidence than any severance package could. The psychology here is clear: job loss triggers identity crises far beyond financial concerns, making authentic recognition of someone's professional worth the most powerful currency. In an era of constant restructuring, how we navigate these uncomfortable transitions reveals more about our workplace humanity than any performance review ever could.

#layoffs

#workplace etiquette

#job loss

#corporate culture

#empathy

#support

#featured