We are paying attention to big, widely published changes, and we might miss those which are also meaningful and impactful.
We have heard and read so much about silent quitting, great resignation, and relevant worldwide workforce trends. What about silent lay-offs? What about massive lay-offs in companies which have constituted a dream destination for students and adults since the 1990s? Why do companies act to protect their own growth or survival, making sure that Communications & PR smart moves will cover their footprints at the same time? Why not be open about these sudden and massive lay-offs, as several executives have been over the years, and publish dismissals, making sure also to support their people for the day after? Honesty and integrity in the market, is also a smart move for their employer branding and their reputation. People dismissed can still act as positive ambassadors of their company if they are treated fairly while working for it and even when they are laid off.
Employer branding and company reputation probably appear expensive or a long term investment which does not bring direct value to the company. But silent and mass lay-offs are still a reality for many people who struggle for their day after, without knowing the value- or having the capacity to invest on- expert support.
Career counseling and development practices are of great value to companies deciding to let go of their employees, through the commonly phrased outplacement programs, and are of huge value to professionals/individual executives who are fired, for their own professional and personal well-being.
The meaning of this short article is for companies and their representatives to honestly invest in their people in order to support their long-term growth, increase their human-stocks value with training & meaningful benefits, and respect them for as long as they employ or lay them off (+ a little longer), supporting the market ecosystem in which these companies will continue to grow and transform.
