‘What if it had been me?’: Employee reflects on job security after colleagues lose jobs in layoffs

A corporate employee has opened up about the fear, sadness and guilt he experienced after two of his teammates lost their jobs during a round of layoffs at his company. Although his own position remained unaffected, the incident left him questioning whether any job could truly be considered secure.After surviving layoffs, an employee said he felt guilty and feared how quickly any job could disappear. (Representational image/Gemini AI generated)(Also read: Visa layoffs: Ex-employee says Bengaluru manager with outstanding reviews lost job)Sharing his thoughts on Reddit, the man published the post with the title, “Today completely changed how I look at job security.”‘I feel weird, sad, scared and angry’“I don’t even know why I’m posting this, but I just need to get it out. My company had layoffs today. I was fortunate to keep my job, but two of my teammates weren’t as lucky,” the employee wrote.He explained that he had been unable to stop thinking about the situation since hearing the news. He also admitted experiencing a sense of guilt because he retained his job while others were asked to leave.“Ever since I heard the news, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. I feel weird, sad, scared, angry, and honestly, a bit guilty that I was safe while others weren’t. My mind keeps spiralling into, ‘What if it had been me? What would I have done?’” he added.(Also read: ‘I’m done with tech, I’m done with corporate’: Laid-off employee quits industry for a new career)The employee further reflected on the challenging employment market and how quickly a person’s professional circumstances could change.“The job market feels incredibly tough right now, and it’s scary knowing that so much can change overnight. It makes me question how secure any job really is,” he said.(Also read: ‘My boss lost it when I resigned’: Employee says manager blamed them for coworker’s layoff)He also wondered whether artificial intelligence and global economic conditions were contributing to layoffs across companies. “More than anything, I just feel terrible for everyone who has to go through this. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be,” he concluded.Check out the post here:Reddit users share similar experiencesThe post prompted several users to share their own experiences with layoffs and job insecurity. One person wrote, “This is exactly what went through my mind today. I had a layoff scare, but thankfully, my job was safe. Still, I feel deeply sorry for the people I worked with who were affected the layoffs. I sincerely hope they all find new jobs soon—roles that are better, more secure, and hopefully come with 10 times the pay.”Another commented, “My brother’s company had layoffs. One of the employees who was laid off was extremely knowledgeable technically, yet still lost his job due to office politics. It’s a reminder that, in large corporations, almost everyone is replaceable.”“I can relate with you,” read another reaction. A fourth user shared, “I was laid off three months ago. Life can be truly painful sometimes. I hope things get better soon for everyone going through it.”(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)