Whisper

20 Managers Reveal What It's Like to Lay Off an Entire Department

While being a manager or boss of a company definitely has it's perks, there's an unglamorous side to the responsibility. Part of it involves laying off employees. The longer they've worked there, the harder it is to see them go but at the end of the day, they're running a business and they have to do what's needed in order for the company to survive. Some managers and CEOs have a hard time letting people know that their immediate future is about to torn to pieces while others feed on the power trip. If you had to let someone go, what kind of manager would you be?

1. I've thrown up twice this morning because I have to lay off 3 people due to budget cuts. It makes me sick and it's not fair at all.

2. I'm the CEO of a moderately small business and on Friday I had to lay off 6 people. I thought I would feel bad about it but by the time lunch came around, I was fine.

3. I had to lay-off two people today. One is my cousin. It sucks, but if I don't cut expenses everyone will lose their job.

4. I work for a children's non-profit organization but we are broke so we had to lay off 5 good staff and my heart is broken for them.

5. Just had to lay off my first person at work today. I felt so powerful I want to do it again.

6. Nobody knows I laid off two employees so I would get a bigger raise due to room in the budget. 

 7. Today was my first day as a manager and I was told to lay off an entire department. I feel like they could've done this yesterday. 

8. I work in HR so I have to lay off and fire a lot of people. It honestly gets easier. I do my best not to get attached to my job.

9. I have to lay off two people tomorrow. I haven't slept in three days because i'm nervous about the confrontation. 

10. I hooked up with a coworker last week which I knew was a big mistake. Now I have to lay off him (along with other employees) and I feel like he'd tell everyone what we did just as retaliation. 

11. My boss had me lay off a dozen people and then at the end of the day, he laid me off. I feel so stupid for not seeing this coming.

12. Not going to lie, after I lay off an employee, once everybody goes home for the night, I raid their desk and see if there is anything I want for my desk. 

13. So I work with my roommate's boyfriend. He works under me. Today, our job had lay offs and I had to let him go. My roommate hasn't spoken to me all night.

14. Today, I had to lay off an employee for abusing their vacation days. I leave for a month long vacation tomorrow.

15. A coworker was so drunk at work she couldn't remember she was laid off and I had to lay her off again when she tried to punch in at her next shift. That was fun. 

16. I'm in human resources. The first time I had to lay off someone I went to my house and cried. I took a sick day that day because I couldn't handle it. 

17. Before I had to lay off an employee, I was feeling super guilty about it. Then he cussed me out when I gave him his last paycheck and the guilt went away. 

18. I was hired in HR about two weeks ago and I just had to lay off someone who worked here for over 10 years. It was the most awkward conversation of my life. 

19. Had to lay off someone who I like and didn't want to lay off. Took more of a toll on me than I thought it would. I've been drinking since mid afternoon hoping it will help me feel better. It did a bit. 

20. Whenever I have to lay off people at work (doesn't happen often) I take them out and buy them coffee hoping to ease the situation. People in the office are now scared to go get coffee with me.