Since the layoff conversations last week, I’ve noticed my coworkers have been extremely quiet/distant. I get it, life does go on and no one owes me anything, but I find it interesting and eye opening. Happy for everyone who survived (this round), cheering for anyone impacted. We’ll get through this.
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I still have not received any official word of who was impacted. Some I know about, and I have reached out to them. I have to admit I feel scared when I reach out. I dont want to make them feel worse about it. What can I say to make it better? I feel like everything is say just sounds like fluff even though its sincere. I hate this foe everyone
@b4 Exactly! All the people that ghosted me will promptly be blocked on LinkedIn once I am officially off payroll. I don't need them nor do I want them looking at where I end up.
My team has been the opposite. We lost 75% of our people. We have been very communicative, and my AD has been too. We're all shocked at the direction those above took, but we want to help and are sharing connections to those impacted. In fact we held a team meeting this week where we discussed everything openly, and half the impacted team were there. I hope all those impacted can find something bigger and better.
I personally have reached out to everyone I worked with that was affected to offer support. I have done the same every time this has come around. I suppose some people just don't know what to say.
To those that are safe, I recommend you always reach out, offer your support or just be a sounding board so they can vent. People always appreciate being able to talk to someone who knows them from their work life as an anchor as they prepare to move on. Understand that many people's identity is still tied up in their Verizon life so it means more than you think.
Because no one is safe. they are just keeping their head down. The reality is, once you get laid off from the company, it carries a stigma. Its very rare that old co workers will continue to keep in touch. We just have to live with it and carry on. you only have yourself to take care of.
@b4 LOL.
In finance. None of us know on my team who got let except our sr director. Our team slack chat that had lots of discussion has not had a single ping. We know some of us are impacted. It’s sad. Morale, culture, trust are hurt for everyone. Tons of studies have been done on layoffs. In organizational psychology, it is formally known as "The Survivor Syndrome."
The data suggests that for every dollar saved in payroll, companies often lose significantly more in hidden productivity costs from the employees who remain.
Because we were not told who was riffed and probably won’t know till we go back to the office on 12/1!
It's like the scarlet letter or covid, no one wants to be around you as they think it's contagious. They don't want to be seen around you so they don't get associated with you. Remember this is a job, not a social network.
@ay 🙄
pontificate much?
You probably won’t hear from them ever again, until you start a new job and they get laid off and want to network. Don’t forget who they are and ghost them then. It’s incredibly satisfying.
For those who survived, I understand that it’s awkward and maybe they don’t know what to say. However, as someone who got laid off, I was made to feel insignificant and disposable by Verizon. Having my colleagues ghost me (when I always went out of my way to show kindness to them) just makes me feel worse and more insignificant.
I also reached out to three different individuals to ask if they would be willing to write an end endorsement on LinkedIn … a pretty small thing which would only take a few minutes, and I’ve also been ghosted by all three of them in that respect.
Fortunately, I know that my value is not determined by my job. I’m just eager to move on and put this horrible Verizon experience behind me.
This is such a real and honest reflection, and it highlights something important on both sides. People who were laid off are grieving and processing a major life change. But many of those who stayed are also wrestling with very real guilt, anxiety, and fear about what comes next. It’s not that they don’t care—they often care deeply and just don’t know what to say, or how to show up without making it worse.
Staying while others leave is its own kind of burden: you’re watching teammates walk out the door while you’re trying to keep moving forward, wondering “why them and not me?” and “how long until the next round?” That tension can make people pull back and go quiet, not out of indifference, but out of overwhelm. It is easy to point the finger at those left behind.
I acknowledge being overwhelmed but for sure it is nothing like being out there looking for employment. My New Years wish with positive energy is that everyone obtains employment before March 2026!
I really appreciate that you’re holding space for all of that—cheering for those who survived and those impacted, even as you plan your own next steps. That perspective is leadership in action: honest about the pain, compassionate toward everyone involved, and focused on moving forward with integrity. We’re all navigating uncertainty from different places, but we’re still in this together—and we’ll get through it.
#Layoffs #Morale #Uncertainty #Fear #FrozeninTime #FrozeninPlace
@at Then quit in solidarity if being laid off it better
Moat of us left behind are also scared. Scared of the next 2 rounds. Plus honestly now I have to do the others work. Laid off would have been better
@OP I can't speak for anyone but myself. So I'll do my best to explain one perspective. I have guilt, the people on my team who didn't make it hurts my heart. Some where here before me, one even helped train me. I don't know what to say to them, sorry only goes so far, positive stuff? easy for me to say positive sh-t while they have to figure out their future. Hard to speak when you have a lump in your throat anyways. I try to think well what would I want, if I was in their shoes. I don't even fu--ing know. I know that it could be me in the next round, he-l it could have been me this round. The sh-t makes no sense.
One thing I have learned over the years is that your co-workers are not your friends. You might find a few who are genuine.
@ah Agree. I knew that I was getting laid off so I sent a message to some of my colleagues to say farewell and share my personal contact info. Only two of them wrote back. It’s kind of hurtful and disappointing. But I guess there’s inherently a kind of shame associated with getting laid off (even though we didn’t do anything wrong), and many colleagues would just prefer to distance themselves and pretend that we didn’t exist. It’s especially disappointing because it’s right now when we most need empathy and support.
Yes I experienced the exact same thing and I agree with you, while its not surprising it is eye opening. You find out who the real ones are in situations like these. In a weird way, its a blessing to know whos who. Hang in there!
You got laid off and your former coworkers are acting distant? Not surprising.
My manager had been avoiding me and canceling our 1:1 meetings for 2 weeks. That’s how I knew I was getting laid off