You’ve been invited to a gathering together with your boss and a human assets consultant. It comes at a time of uncertainty in your office.
The writing is on the wall — you’re about to be laid off.
Whereas some employees would possibly submit a observe on LinkedIn or keep silent on social media altogether, a development has been rising the place gen Z and millennial staff are filming the emotional expertise and broadcasting it on social media apps equivalent to TikTok for the world to see.
It’s undeniably robust to assume clearly once you’re in shock over dropping your job. Nevertheless, consultants say it’s finest to take a step again and totally take into account the message you wish to get throughout earlier than posting a few layoff on-line as a result of it might probably have an effect on you legally, financially and professionally for years to come back.
“You possibly can submit one thing on social media and it type of lasts ceaselessly,” stated Neena Gupta, a companion at Gowling WLG who makes a speciality of employment and human rights regulation.
“And even once you take down your submit, it could have echoes, so take into consideration whether or not or not that’s the impression you need folks to recollect 5 years from now.”
Experiencing a layoff is a painful course of, and as people, our judgment is diminished once we’re feeling uncooked and indignant, Gupta stated.
Within the instant aftermath of a layoff, it’s possible you’ll not essentially be eager about confidentiality obligations together with your former employer, the way you’re coming throughout to a potential employer, or anti-defamation provisions.
However that doesn’t imply it’s essential keep silent on-line after a layoff.
To keep away from any repercussions, Gupta suggests utilizing a matter-of-fact tone when sharing the expertise on-line.
“The world has modified. We all know that jobs should not ceaselessly. With most layoffs, there may be nothing to be ashamed of, even should you notice, ‘You already know what, I wasn’t fairly what they have been in search of,’” she stated.
“And should you can present a bit of sophistication and professionalism, it goes a good distance.”
Kadine Cooper, a profession and life transition coach, stated the very first thing you need to do after being knowledgeable of a layoff is take time to floor your self and are available to phrases with the loss. After getting processed these troublesome feelings, ask your self what you wish to do subsequent, the place you may search out mentorship and encompass your self with people who need you to succeed.
If you’re able to share your profession replace on-line, be sure that to strike a constructive {and professional} tone, as this may set you up for future alternatives, Cooper beneficial.
“You continue to have the facility, proper? So begin making a constructive narrative about it,” she stated.
“Write your posts in a method that highlights your resilience and your adaptability and even perhaps begin emphasizing a few of the experiences you gained throughout that point with the corporate.”
On the flipside, whereas some folks select to be candid about their layoff experiences to extend transparency round sure employers or industries, Cooper stated “ranting and raging” on social media could harm your future job prospects and discourage former co-workers from offering you with a reference for one more job.
“If something, folks would possibly really feel sorry for you, however I feel it’s important to be trustworthy in regards to the scenario with out divulging an excessive amount of delicate data. So, you don’t wish to blame anybody for the layoffs,” she added.
Laid-off employees who solid their earlier employers in a unfavourable mild on-line might additionally put their severance packages in danger, Gupta stated.
She stated she as soon as represented an employer who wouldn’t budge on severance negotiations with an worker as a result of the worker selected to secretly document their layoff assembly and share it on social media.
“It was unlucky as a result of I feel it backfired on the worker,” Gupta defined.
“As an alternative of primarily specializing in what we should always have centered on, which is, what’s a good package deal for anyone who’s on this place for this a few years, the present job market, and so on., the entire negotiation primarily was buying and selling barbs in regards to the secretly recorded assembly.”
There are authorized repercussions to take note of as effectively.
Most employment agreements and termination letters embrace a clause that states the worker shouldn’t disparage their employer. Gupta beneficial studying these paperwork and your office’s social media coverage in addition to being conscious of what you share on-line.
In any other case, there’s an opportunity you might begin getting embroiled in libel and defamation motion, she stated.
Each Gupta and Cooper advised treating a layoff as a studying expertise and an opportunity to community with folks and determine what you actually wish to do subsequent.
“Use that point to hunt out the assets that it’s essential assist you to … transfer ahead,” Cooper stated.
