What is a layoff?

A layoff is a formal type of employee termination carried out by the employer. Unlike terminations for cause (e.g., misconduct or underperformance), layoffs are typically the result of external or organizational factors. While they are often challenging, layoffs are sometimes necessary to ensure the long-term health of the business.

Employers must approach layoffs with clear planning, transparency, and empathy, as the process affects not only those being let go but also the entire team.

Common reasons for layoffs

Layoffs occur due to factors outside the employee’s control, such as:

company restructuring, including mergers, departmental changes, or new business models;
cost-cutting initiatives to improve financial stability or respond to market downturns;
automation or digital transformation, which reduces the need for certain roles;
elimination of positions due to strategic shifts or discontinued operations;
relocation of business functions to another region, resulting in logistical or legal limitations for continued employment.

Types of layoffs

Layoffs can be categorized as:

Individual layoffs, influencing one or a few employees whose positions are no longer needed.
Group or mass layoffs, involving a larger number of employees over a short period, often as part of a major restructuring or downsizing effort.

In the case of group layoffs, additional planning is typically required, including structured communication strategies, potential severance programs, and coordination with legal or compliance teams.

Best practices for conducting a layoff

Even when layoffs are necessary, how they are handled makes a major difference. A professional, respectful process helps reduce confusion, protect the employer brand, and support those affected.

Key steps in a well-managed layoff include:

✔️ Step 1: Clarify the business rationale behind the decision.

✔️ Step 2: Review contracts, notice periods, and policies.

✔️ Step 3: Prepare all necessary documents, such as termination letters, final pay information, and transition materials.

✔️ Step 4: Plan the offboarding process and prepare for communication with the employee. Even when layoffs occur in difficult circumstances, maintaining an appropriate tone and form of separation is important. Don't skip the conversation stage – this is an essential moment that, with proper preparation, can reduce tension, clear up doubts, and increase the chances of parting on constructive terms. Prepare yourself both professionally and emotionally:

Organize a meeting in comfortable and confidential conditions;
Focus on facts and the business reasons necessitating the layoff;
Communicate the decision and its basis while remaining open to questions;
Avoid personal judgments and confrontation.

✔️ Step 5: As part of the ongoing offboarding process, settle final compensation, including unpaid wages, vacation payout, and any severance (if applicable).

✔️ Step 6: Communicate with the remaining team, providing transparency while respecting individual privacy. Lack of reliable information can create uncertainty, lead to speculation, and worsen the workplace atmosphere. Depending on the situation:

Inform the team about changes in composition in accordance with agreements made with the departing employee;
Provide general reasons for the change without revealing sensitive personal information;
Emphasize team continuity and announce any organizational changes;
Leave space for questions to maintain stability and trust.

✔️ Step 7: Recover company assets (laptop, phone, keys, access card) and revoke access to internal systems. Document all offboarding activities to ensure the employment relationship was properly terminated.

✔️ Step 8: Determine which tasks need to be transferred and to whom. The employee can prepare documentation, brief instructions, or discuss current matters with the person taking over the position.

✔️ Step 9: Offer an exit interview – a summary conversation to gather feedback on the organization, management, and work culture. You can also offer career transition support, if possible.

Layoffs in international and corporate environments

The process of laying off employees becomes more complex when an organization operates in an international or corporate structure. During the planning stage, consider:

Differences in labor laws between countries – such as different notice periods, formal requirements, severance rules, and employment protections.
Local document requirements – the need to prepare termination notices and employment verification in appropriate language versions and in compliance with local regulations.
Extended decision-making process – resulting from the need to consult legal, compliance, or HR departments at various organizational levels.
Cultural differences – affecting expectations regarding how conversations are conducted, communication style, and level of transparency.

Addressing these aspects helps minimize the risk of formal errors and facilitates separation in a manner consistent with the local context.

Common mistakes in the layoff process and their consequences

Rushed or inadequately prepared layoffs can lead to serious mistakes. Here are the most common examples of errors made by employers.

❌ Formal errors:

imprecise business justification that may be challenged legally;
lack of documentation supporting the business necessity for layoffs;
incorrect calculation of employment tenure and the resulting notice period;
laying off employees with special protections without adhering to proper procedures, such as:
- pregnant employees – many jurisdictions provide enhanced employment protection for pregnant workers and those on maternity leave;
- employees on protected leave – including medical leave, family leave, military leave, or other statutorily protected absences;
- workers' representatives and union officials – often have additional protections against dismissal in many countries;
- employees who recently filed complaints – workers who have recently filed discrimination, harassment, or whistleblower complaints may have protection against retaliatory dismissal;
- employees with disabilities – may have additional rights regarding reasonable accommodations before termination decisions;
- older workers – age discrimination laws in many countries provide specific protections for older employees;
- employees covered by collective bargaining agreements – may have negotiated special layoff procedures, selection criteria, or recall rights;
- workers on fixed-term contracts – may have different termination rights compared to at-will employees;
- recently transferred employees – some jurisdictions provide protection periods after geographical relocations;
- long-tenured employees – in some countries, employees with significant tenure have enhanced severance or notice rights.

❌ Strategic errors:

laying off employees without planning who will take over their responsibilities;
delaying layoffs too long, creating prolonged uncertainty;
using layoffs as a primary response to problems without exploring alternatives;
lack of exit interview procedures, depriving the company of valuable feedback.

❌ Communication errors:

lack of preparation for the layoff conversation, resulting in unfortunate phrasing;
informing about layoffs electronically without obtaining confirmation of message receipt;
publicly announcing layoffs in a way that compromises employee dignity;
lack of clear communication with the team after layoffs, negatively affecting remaining employees' morale.

The consequences of such mistakes can be very damaging for an organization – both legally and professionally, with effects felt long after the employment relationship ends. The most serious consequences include:

legal challenges and potential financial penalties;
compensation costs to laid-off employees, plus additional court and legal service costs;
reputational damage that may hinder future recruitment and negatively impact relationships with customers and business partners;
decreased morale among remaining employees and weakened trust in management;
increased staff turnover.

The psychological impact of layoffs

Layoffs are complex psychological experiences that affect both laid-off employees and remaining team members. An employee receiving news about the end of cooperation often goes through stages similar to those described in Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's grief model:

shock and denial;
anger and sense of injustice;
bargaining;
depression;
acceptance and openness to new opportunities.

Job loss can lead to reduced self-esteem, especially if the position was a significant element of the employee's professional identity. It can also lead to increased stress and anxiety, and in some cases, symptoms of depression. Of course, reactions will differ depending on the individual. Their intensity depends on factors including:

length of employment and degree of identification with the company;
circumstances of the layoff;
how the information was communicated;
personal and financial situation;
professional prospects in the job market.

Employees who remain with the company often face reorganization of roles and responsibilities, disruption of information flow, and changes in informal hierarchy. Increased uncertainty and tension can reduce feelings of security and trust in the employer.

Some employees may experience “survivor syndrome”, manifesting as:

guilt toward laid-off colleagues;
fear of further layoffs;
decreased trust in management;
reduced motivation and engagement;
increased stress and work overload, especially when the same amount of work falls to a smaller team.

Organizations that consciously manage the psychological effects of layoffs rebuild team morale and effectiveness more quickly and maintain a better reputation as employers.

How HR platforms support layoff management

Modern HRM systems, like PeopleForce, support HR processes from the moment a decision is made to end employment until the employee's last day with the company. Key capabilities include:

scheduling and tracking offboarding tasks;
automating termination paperwork and digital signatures;
ensuring access to consistent templates and compliant processes;
coordinating asset return and system access removal;
conducting structured exit interviews and capturing feedback;

By digitizing and standardizing key steps, HR platforms help reduce errors, improve employee experience, and ensure process transparency.

Layoffs – Summary

Laying off employees is a process requiring prudence, legal knowledge, and empathy. Its proper implementation minimizes the risk of conflicts and protects the organization's reputation. Knowledge of regulations, transparent communication, and tools supporting offboarding will allow you to go through this stage professionally and with respect for all parties involved.

Layoff