A new report highlights the challenges that both employees and HR leaders face before, during, and after layoffs—including a perceived lack of empathy from senior leadership. Commissioned by INTOO, a provider of HR and talent solutions, the “Culture in the Balance: Leading Through Layoffs Without Losing Trust Report” offers a summary of findings from a new global survey that explores how companies can mitigate the negative impact of layoffs to preserve their culture and brand integrity.

Key findings include:

Employees are bracing for layoffs but aren’t prepared to weather them:

• 53% of employees are worried about getting laid off in the next 12 months.
• 91% say they aren’t prepared to look for a new job, and 54% could only support themselves and their family for three months if they were laid off.
• 58% of HR leaders admit their company doesn’t provide enough support to employees during layoffs.

Employees feel layoffs are being mishandled, but HR leaders don’t recognize this:

• 60% of employees feel their leaders lack empathy toward workers who get laid off.
• 54% don’t trust their company’s leadership team to handle layoffs compassionately and ethically.
• While 77% of HR leaders say their company strives to be exceedingly fair during layoffs, 33% of employees say their employer did as little as possible to ensure fairness.

Layoffs take a major toll on employees who are left behind:

• 80% of employees say companies underestimate the impact layoffs have on their remaining workforce.
• 71% would begin job hunting immediately after a layoff, even if they were spared.
• 62% of employees say they lost trust in their employer following layoffs.

Poorly handled layoffs can fuel backlash and long-term reputational harm:

• Almost 1 in 5 employees—and around 1 in 4 Gen Z employees—would complain online if they were let go.
• Almost half of companies have experienced retaliation on social media after layoffs.
• 71% of employees would never again work for the company that laid them off.

A better path forward: Offering outplacement services helps employees land on their feet after layoffs—and protects an employer’s reputation.

The survey also explored how companies can improve the layoff experience for employees. One of the most important ways employers can show their support is by offering outplacement services, which can include resume reviews, career coaching, and interview preparation. While the vast majority of respondents—88% of HR leaders and 86% of employees—believe these services should be offered to laid-off employees, access to outplacement support varies widely.

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