There have been consistent layoffs in tech since 2022/2023, and they aren’t stopping. That band-aid/plaster has been ripped off, they have been drinking and broke the seal and now it’s commonplace. It doesn’t mean it’s not easy, especially when you are affected by a round of cuts. It isn’t personal
It’s personal because it’s not personal
We as a cohort of humans, even when we don’t want to, have gotten attached and built our identity around our places of work, what we do is part of where we work. Personally I try to keep that separation, I am about 50/50, if I got laid off tomorrow I would be pissed and sad at the same time.
But it isn’t personal, companies don’t owe us anything along the lines of personal, caring, looking out for. Companies’ only goal is to get people to create products or offer services for money to increase growth, influence, market share and if public, make the investors money.
So when people aren’t being effective, it’s easier to let them go. When people are being difficult and gaming the system and not holding their own, they get cut. When an orgs budget is out of balance to the number of people and output, people get laid off. A reorg, there are duplicate skills and fewer seats, people get laid off. The best one, if there are too many people across too many locations, or are not adhering to the general desire to be in the office, they get laid off.
It’s clear that the norm is lay off, reduce, and get cleaner and execute. Being limited in what your role is and being rigid to the definition of your level, title, or what you like to do, you will most likely get laid off.
Take the power, prepare, start fostering relationships, have a portfolio, have artifacts that you can show people if your work, process, effectiveness, basically what you impact is, why you being here is the reason you should be chosen.
Aside: I am not saying that this is universally true, there are exceptions and great managers and teams can make some of the corporate influences less. It’s a two way street.