MEXICO: A man working at a Fortune 100 company shared his financial worries online after being laid off for the first time. With only three months’ notice, a baby, and having recently paid in cash for a car, he said, “I’m scared about what comes next.”
The layoffs came as the company plans to consolidate operations into a single hub, instead of several offices in Mexico, and hire employees in lower-cost countries, mostly in parts of Africa where wages are significantly lower, he said.
Explaining his situation further on r/Layoffs, he wrote: “I can’t go into detail about my role due to contractual restrictions, but I’ve held a senior position for over two years and been here for eight years. During that time, I worked hard and genuinely loved what I did. The job came with great benefits: two months of vacation, a hybrid work model, insurance, and a level of flexibility that allowed me to leave early or take time off when needed.”
Before the layoffs were confirmed, rumours about the job cuts had already been circulating across the company. Then came slowed hiring across several departments, and new recruits who were struggling to perform were eventually let go. On Wednesday, after being called into the office, it finally became official.
Although there’s a good severance package waiting, and some have been offered to relocate to the bigger city, the cost of living there is so high that it would require double the salary, which is not being offered.
Sharing his worries further, he added, “I’m still relatively young, and this is the first time I’ve ever been laid off. I feel a mix of fear and uncertainty. Part of me wants to invest in a business and become my own boss, but living in this country, concerns about corruption and violence make that decision difficult.”
While he felt constant pressure over the past year, there was also a sense of relief, “that maybe this is a turning point”, yet he said, “I feel lost and uncertain.”
Amid his feelings of uncertainty, commenters who have been laid off once encouraged him.
One said, “I’ve been at it for just about 30 years now. I’ve been laid off twice… It happens to most people at least once,” adding that it was “the best thing that could’ve happened” to him.
Another shared, “All I can say my friend is you are not alone. Life has been a struggle for me,” explaining that just as things seemed to ease — after getting a good job, paying a large sum toward his mortgage, and getting a tattoo and buying the guitar he wanted — he “got laid off and [was] back to the grind.”
A third advised, “Look forward. You’ll find another job; things will work out. Leverage your professional network, don’t be afraid to contact people that you haven’t spoken to in a few years if that’s what it takes.”
However, one commenter shared a more pessimistic note, saying, “The race to the bottom is real. Sorry to hear about you losing your job. Seems like no one and no country is safe.” /TISG
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