Pros
Coworkers who care and have empathy during layoffs. Coworkers who reach out and say "how can I help?" Coworkers who make introductions or help you network. Coworkers who send you leads to other jobs. Coworkers who ask "how are you" and genuinely mean it.
Cons
I was told to "be professional" from an HR representative when I was laid off at Huron. It felt dismissive, patronizing and as if I should suppress my natural emotional response of shock. A managing director read a script to me and blamed AI when in reality, it was about utilization. The individual who read the script would not receive their bonus unless we met our utilization goals. I wasn't in charge of sales, nor in business development. The person who read the script to me was in charge of that. It would have been so nice to have heard "I know this is difficult news to hear, or this decision was not made lightly. We deeply value the contributions you've made." Telling folks to "be respectful" when they are getting laid off lacks empathy, is completely insensitive, and implies judgement. It is the worst timing for someone who is trying to process the shock or disappointment. We're thinking about our mortgages, our kids, our next steps. I can see you saying "be respectful" if someone starts yelling or is inappropriate, but if they say NOTHING and sit there quietly and then you say "be respectful", it's like being kicked when you're down or slapped in the face. Isn't it bad enough that you go online the next day and talk about how great your earnings are for the quarter and then rehire for those roles shortly after the layoffs? Let me guess. It's hard on you too, or you had a bad day because you had to do layoffs. You get to keep your job and you have the audacity to say "be professional" to someone who just lost their job, their livelihood. Way to go.