In the first half of 2025, layoffs surged to nearly record levels, with March recording the third highest monthly total in history, trailing only April and May 2020. A total of 696,309 layoffs were announced through May, marking an 80% increase compared to the previous year and only 65,000 shy of the total for all of 2024. Reasons include budget cuts and increased automation. Treating departing employees with compassion and dignity can impact those who remain and foster a positive company culture during turbulent times.
"The best people have other opportunities elsewhere and who wants to be on an unstable ship, right? So that's exactly the right question," says Deborah Lovich, a Future of Work fellow at BCG Henderson Institute, Boston Consulting Group's think tank.
"Throughout the layoffs, it's important to treat people who depart with dignity, humanity, support. In addition to being the right thing to do, they may become customers or partners in the future."
"How you treat people in hard times is what the soul of the company is," she says.
"People want to be part of an organization they feel good about, and they will be looking for evidence that others are being treated as kindly as possible during this difficult time."
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