The Week I Got Laid Off
November 13, Wednesday
After I got home from being laid off, I told my wife what had happened. The abruptness of it all made me want to inform my team immediately.
I lead a team of eight people and typically reserve a good part of Wednesdays for 1-on-1 meetings. I decided to follow my usual schedule and speak with each of them. I didn’t have answers about what the future held for them, but I wanted to share what had happened to me, provide what little I did know, and express my heartfelt gratitude.
Visa gave me my first management role, and I had the privilege of hiring every person on my team. My successes as a manager were only possible because of their hard work and ingenuity.
During our 1-on-1s, I stayed positive and emphasized my pride in what we’d accomplished. For those I didn’t have a meeting with that day, I made a point to call them. It was important to me to leave on a high note, highlighting the bright future I believed they still had ahead.
By the end of the day, I had spoken with everyone. I then stepped away from my computer, reviewed my severance package, discussed the details with my wife, and spent a normal evening with my family.
November 15, Friday
The next couple of days were spent tidying up loose ends. I exfiltrated personal items from my work laptop to my personal email—carefully and judiciously. After 10 years at Visa, completing a master’s degree along the way, I had accumulated files related to classes, training, photos, and personal performance notes. I avoided sending anything that was work product, instead focusing on items that would help me update my resume or maintain records of graduate-level coursework. Ultimately, I sent myself about a dozen emails, each with relevant attachments grouped together.
I also reached out to colleagues I valued and wanted to stay in touch with. Here’s an example of the kind of email I sent:
Hello team, I wanted to share some news with you. I’ve been informed that my time here is coming to an end due to organizational changes. I’m grateful for the chance I’ve had to work with such a talented, dedicated group, and I couldn’t be prouder of all we’ve achieved together. I truly believe in each of you and am confident that the team will continue to thrive. Please know that I’m here to support you in any way I can, even after I leave. Let’s stay connected, and thank you once again for everything!
Email:
Phone:
LinkedIn:
In addition, I created a Slack Workspace to stay connected with others who were laid off. I invited everyone I knew who was impacted and extended invitations to new folks as I learned about them. I wanted Slack to be a shared space for communication, support, and maybe even a little commiseration.
For those interested in creating their own workspace, here’s how:
Closing the Chapter
Over the weekend, access to work tools began to end as expected. I closed my work laptop for the last time. It felt like a weight had lifted as I stopped compulsively responding to work emails and tasks.