Nov 04 5 Strategies to Prepare for the Next Wave of Workforce Disruption
As AI disruptions and tariff impacts accelerate, organizations are facing a new surge in layoffs, with Q2 2025 marking the most second-quarter job cuts since 2020.
Layoffs are one of the most immediate and visible types of workforce disruption, but they’re far from the only one.
For businesses, technology advancements like automation or global events such as pandemics can drive difficult decisions around restructuring and layoffs. For employees, issues like burnout, lack of growth opportunities, or high turnover can lead to dissatisfaction and attrition. All of these forces interrupt workflows and create instability.
While disruption may be an unavoidable consequence of necessary business decisions, few companies are fully prepared for how deeply it affects employees and organizational culture. That human impact is precisely why HR leaders must approach disruption with a people-first mindset.
HR leaders can proactively prepare for disruption by building transition strategies that support thoughtful offboarding, whether through layoffs, restructuring, or voluntary exits. By approaching these moments with care and compassion, you can uphold the employee experience while preserving your organization’s culture and employer brand.
Key takeaways
- Workforce disruption is rising fast: Q2 2025 marked the highest layoff levels since 2020, and other forces like automation and turnover continue to reshape the workplace.
- Without a structured offboarding, companies risk lost productivity, shaken morale, and reputational damage when employees exit.
- A thoughtful, people-first approach to offboarding protects both company culture and employer brand.
A weak offboarding strategy leaves lasting damage
When companies handle employee departures without a clear offboarding strategy, the consequences often extend far beyond the individual exit.
Mishandled offboarding can erode morale, productivity, and trust. Remaining employees may feel vulnerable or disengaged, and external stakeholders may interpret chaotic transitions as signs of deeper instability. In fact, 71% of layoff survivors report decreased motivation at work, evidence that the ripple effects are real and measurable.
The stakes are also reputational. According to the peak-end rule, people tend to remember experiences most vividly at their highest emotional point and their conclusion. That means a poor exit experience — regardless of what came before — can sour an employee’s entire perception of your organization. From Glassdoor reviews to rehire potential and brand equity, the final impression matters.
5 strategies to manage workforce disruption with empathy
Periods of workforce disruption are defining moments for HR leadership — challenging, yes, but also an opportunity to rise to the occasion. With a structured, people-first approach, you can model empathy, reinforce organizational trust, and help shape a more resilient culture.
Consider these strategies to strengthen your approach:
1. Treat layoffs with dignity and transparency
It’s always essential to communicate clearly and respectfully with departing employees during layoffs. Be honest about the reasons for the decision, avoid ambiguity or surprises, and show empathy by acknowledging their contributions.
In practice, that means preparing managers in advance so they know what to say, choosing a private setting for the conversation, and offering immediate access to career transition resources. Even small gestures of respect, like making space for questions or concerns, can go a long way toward preserving dignity in a difficult moment and fostering goodwill.
2. Safeguard your culture and brand with consistent messaging
Remember that your remaining employees are watching how you handle times of change, whether it’s a planned restructuring, CEO exit, or rollout of new AI-supported workflows.
To sustain culture, make sure communication is consistent across audiences. Employees, leadership, and external stakeholders should all hear aligned messaging that explains priorities and the reasons for change. Equip managers with talking points to help them address questions from their teams, and recognize employees’ past contributions when appropriate.
These visible steps demonstrate care and transparency, helping to maintain trust during a time of uncertainty.
3. Create a structured offboarding playbook
Many times, workforce disruptions result in some level of employee turnover, whether voluntary or involuntary. Because exits happen under varied circumstances, a one-size-fits-all approach falls short.
A strong offboarding playbook should outline tailored strategies for both voluntary exits and layoffs, while also factoring in risk level. For example, a high-risk departure involving a team leader requires more careful handling than a low-risk voluntary exit.
A documented offboarding strategy creates accountability for HR and managers and ensures consistency. Your playbook should outline essentials such as communication plans, knowledge transfer steps, asset recovery, and exit interview protocols so leaders have a clear guide to follow.
4. Support employees beyond their last day
Offboarding shouldn’t end when employees walk out the door. For those impacted by layoffs, providing outplacement services such as personalized career coaching, resume and LinkedIn support, and job search tools shows that you care about their future and want to ease their transition.
For employees who leave for any reason, whether voluntary or involuntary, maintaining an alumni network helps keep the relationship positive and ongoing. Alumni programs can transform former employees into long-term advocates and ambassadors for your company. At organizations with formal alumni programs, boomerang hires make up 7-8% of all new employees.
5. Establish feedback channels for long-term stability
The benefits of listening to employees extend far beyond any single disruption. Gathering feedback during times of change helps leaders identify concerns early and respond before they escalate into broader morale issues.
Exit interviews are one valuable tool, but they shouldn’t be the only time you seek input. Regular surveys, focus groups, and open forums give employees a voice and enable you to address pain points early. Creating these channels helps preserve culture and support long-term stability across your organization.
Leadership is defined by how you prepare for disruption
The true test of leadership comes in how a company supports its people through disruption, especially during layoffs.
Reducing your workforce is never easy, but treating people with dignity on the way out should be. The strongest leaders see disruption as a moment to reinforce values, not abandon them.
Ready to build a better offboarding strategy? Download our Offboarding Done Right Strategy Guide to learn how to protect your people, your culture, and your brand during times of disruption.
