Empl

oyee separation, particularly a reduction in force (RIF), is one of the toughest responsibilities for any HR or business leader. Even though 40% of Americans have been laid off or terminated at some point in their career, many organizations still struggle to handle these transitions with the necessary strategic planning and compassion. When separations are mishandled–as in mass terminations over Zoom or employees finding out they’re laid off after being locked out of the office or other necessary systems–the damage goes beyond the departing team members, hitting the company’s reputation, employee morale, and ability to attract fu

t

ure talent. In a