A new leader joined in January, and the experience that followed was one of the least transparent situations I’ve encountered. Multiple employees were involved in discussions about a “new team vision,” which gave the impression that they would be part of the upcoming plan. However, two days later, the entire team was laid off.
The interview process for new roles appeared inconsistent and unclear — it felt like decisions may have been predetermined rather than based on fair evaluation. On the day of the layoffs, the director’s tone and comments came across as inappropriate given the seriousness of the situation.
Communication throughout the process was confusing. The company-wide email announcing the layoffs did not clearly explain what was happening and created significant confusion across departments. The message also implied that leadership had provided extensive support in finding new jobs, but in reality, employees were given one company suggestion that was not actively hiring.
To make matters worse, the VP publicly praised the director’s leadership during the termination meetings, which felt out of touch and insensitive. It’s also concerning that the individual placed in charge of the department had limited background in training or team management, and relied heavily on sales-style communication rather than leadership or collaboration.
