'Makes Me Sick': Man Goes Viral After Exposing Impersonal Nature of Layoffs One TikToker is starting a conversation around widespread layoffs and how impersonal they can be.
By Emily Rella
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
It's been a year of many layoffs across many industries, and one TikToker is shining a light on just how impersonal these widespread layoffs can be.
TikToker @elazie1 posted a video of his final company call, a three-way video chat with his manager and HR that's now been viewed over 10.9 million times. In the video, he jokingly asks if the call is about him getting promoted.
Spoiler alert: It was not.
@elazie1Its realky fun to get layed off and i had a really good time
♬ original sound - Elazie
"Evan, thanks for your time today. So, you know, basically, in an effort to reduce costs, we are restructuring our business," a person on the video says. "And that has resulted in the elimination number of positions in the marketing team. And unfortunately, your position has been impacted."
He was told that he would be paid through December 23 and that the following day would be his last with the company.
People flooded the comments calling the delivery of the news "impersonal" and accused the manager of reading off a script.
Related: The Simple 4-Step Process That Will Help You Avoid Layoffs
"Ugh they're literally so robotic and unempathetic, makes me sick," one user expressed. "I'm so sorry, you deserve so much better."
"Any company that lays individuals off this close to the holidays deserves the worst fate," one even said.
In a follow-up video, Evan said he feels like the "Paul Revere of the recession" — his video is a warning to others who might soon find themselves in his position. He also revealed that he was given four weeks of severance.
"Being able to respond like this in this situation is a sign of strength," one user said. "Wishing you good things, best of luck."
The TikToker did not reveal the name of his former employer.
