A massive wave of layoffs is sweeping across the global tech and IT sectors, with tens of thousands of employees suddenly finding themselves without jobs. industry giants like Intel (21,400), dell (12,500), tcs (12,000), microsoft (9,000), ibm (8,000), and Cisco (4,000) have either announced or executed large-scale workforce reductions. These aren’t just numbers—they represent individuals and families suddenly thrust into financial uncertainty. The layoffs come amidst rising operational costs, reduced demand post-pandemic, AI disruptions, and global economic caution. However, the human cost of these corporate decisions remains under-addressed.
What has shocked many is the sheer ruthlessness with which some of these layoffs have been carried out. In many cases, employees were given little to no prior warning. Some were locked out of work systems overnight; others received generic emails or were informed through Zoom calls. Severance packages, if offered at all, were minimal. In fact, several firms didn’t even offer a month's salary or access to transitional support services. This impersonal and abrupt method of handling terminations has triggered ethical concerns about the declining value placed on employee loyalty, mental health, and basic dignity in corporate environments.
These practices point to a growing disconnect between corporate strategy and humane employment practices. While companies justify the layoffs as necessary for "streamlining operations" or "future-proofing," the burden of poor planning, over-hiring, or volatile market bets is being disproportionately borne by workers. The absence of strong labor protections in many countries, especially in the tech sector, has made it easier for corporations to execute mass layoffs without adequate accountability. Going forward, there’s a critical need for stricter employment laws, mandatory severance support, and ethical HR standards that ensure corporations can’t treat their workforce as disposable assets. Because in the end, businesses may recover—but for many employees, the damage can be life-altering.
What has shocked many is the sheer ruthlessness with which some of these layoffs have been carried out. In many cases, employees were given little to no prior warning. Some were locked out of work systems overnight; others received generic emails or were informed through Zoom calls. Severance packages, if offered at all, were minimal. In fact, several firms didn’t even offer a month's salary or access to transitional support services. This impersonal and abrupt method of handling terminations has triggered ethical concerns about the declining value placed on employee loyalty, mental health, and basic dignity in corporate environments.
These practices point to a growing disconnect between corporate strategy and humane employment practices. While companies justify the layoffs as necessary for "streamlining operations" or "future-proofing," the burden of poor planning, over-hiring, or volatile market bets is being disproportionately borne by workers. The absence of strong labor protections in many countries, especially in the tech sector, has made it easier for corporations to execute mass layoffs without adequate accountability. Going forward, there’s a critical need for stricter employment laws, mandatory severance support, and ethical HR standards that ensure corporations can’t treat their workforce as disposable assets. Because in the end, businesses may recover—but for many employees, the damage can be life-altering.
click and follow Indiaherald WhatsApp channel