4 Ways to Show Up for Your Laid Off Friends

I am now a couple days post-layoff, and while I've been through this before, it's my first in the LinkedIn age and while I'm certainly no expert, I am already seeing the trends and patterns to how folks respond when somebody they know has been laid off. Now that I am personally impacted, and now that I find myself with an abundance of free time, I thought it might be beneficial to share some of the things I've found helpful (and less helpful) as folks have reached out to show their support in the wake of the recent Gusto layoffs:

🟣 Reach out, but don't take it personally if we don't respond quickly or at all. It has meant SO much to hear from folks, both those I worked closely with and folks with whom I only had the occasional interaction with. Just know that folks process things differently and we may be taking time away from LinkedIn/social media to grieve. OR if they're like me, maybe they go immediately into survival mode and they've been applying for every job they're remotely qualified for and won't get to your message until they come back down to earth. Either way, know that your message is appreciated, even if it goes unreturned.

🟣 Try to avoid toxic positivity, platitudes, or vague/broad compliments. I appreciate the intent folks likely have behind comments like "Everything happens for a reason," "Someone will snatch you up soon," or "Things will work out," but the impact of this approach is often only to make the sender feel better while minimizing the impact and experience of the receiver.

If you want to express genuine enthusiasm for our propsects, try sharing something specific that we have said, done, or been part of that will stay with you. When I made my 'oops I just got laid off and now I'm looking for work" post on LinkedIn, a Gustie with whom I don't recall ever having a 1-on-1 conversation commented that I have helped change the way she thinks about language in regard to reproductive justice, access, and rights. That comment has stayed with me more than any other message or comment I've received the last few days, and I'm so grateful that somebody took the time to share that specific impact I had in my time at Gusto.

🟣 Consider things you can do that don't hinge on us asking. I see lots of folks offering to write recommendations or LinkedIn endorsements, share #OpenToWork posts with their networks, and otherwise hype us up to their connections who may be looking for someone with our skillset. This may be a 🔥hot take🔥 but you can do these things without waiting for us to ask. If we're posting that we're open to work, I would imagine most of us are hoping that as many people as possible will see and if sharing that post means more folks will read it, please feel empowered to do so.

LinkedIn endorsements and recommendations are a great way to highlight the specific skills your job-seeking friends and former colleagues bring to the table, and endorsing your colleagues is a great habit to build even outside of the context of layoffs. Getting laid off brings about a great deal of logistical and procedural changes and we may be navigating multiple different bureaucratic processes while simultaneously trying to process and grieve a major life change. Absolutely follow our lead when it comes to support that may need to coincide with our own timeline for finding new work, but it's never a bad idea to think creatively of ways you can help that are evergreen in impact 🌲

🟣 Don't forget about us when the hype dies down. When the news is fresh and emotions are high, it feels like everybody has something to say and wants to offer their support. For some of us, we don't truly hit the wall until weeks or months later. Especially in a time of economic volatility and near-daily news of more layoffs, it may take much logner than we'd like to find our next professional home, and the emotional wear that can have on a person is immeasurable. Check in with your friends and former colleagues beyond the first few days, because that may be when we need you most 🧡

These are merely my own observations and I certainly do not speak for everybody. I would love to hear from my fellow #GoneWithGusto friends and others who might have some other insights for folks who want to do right by their recently separated colleagues and connections!