Layoffs don’t have to feel inhumane

Most leaders approach layoffs as a messaging problem. What do we say? How do we say it? How do we avoid panic, legal risk, or reputational damage? But that framing misses what’s actually at stake. Layoffs are moments when employees decide whether leadership can still be trusted. And in 2026, that evaluation is nearly immediate. There’s no version of layoffs that feels good. But there’s a meaningful difference between a necessary business decision handled with clarity a...