Former Microsoft VP of HR reveals 3 types of employees at highest risk of layoffs (2024)

New Delhi,UPDATED: Mar 6, 2023 15:15 IST

With tech giants like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta and others announcing layoffs one after the other, many employees are left worried about their job security. LinkedIn and Twitter are full of people's lay off stories and while at some companies the layoffs weren't carried out on the basis of performance, other companies are reportedly putting employees through a more rigorous yearly performance review. These are tough times indeed and the entire world is navigating its way in these unstable job market conditions.

Amidst all this, former Vice President of Human Resources at Microsoft, Chris Williams, has penned an article for Business Insider mentioning the three types of employees who are most at-risk during layoffs and the two types of employees who are the safest.

Ex-Microsoft HR VP on at-risk employees

According to Chris' article, the event planning team, the new initiatives team, and the contract workers hired by a company are the most at-risk employees during layoffs. Additionally, Chris notes that companies usually ask contractual employees to leave first when tough times arise, making them the highest-risk group. Chris further adds that companies hire contract workers for flexibility in case of unforeseen circ*mstances.

He also states that the employees involved in event planning and other such jobs are also likely to be shown the exit door when things get tough. This is because companies tend to reduce their expenses by minimising luxury activities during a recession.

Finally, employees who are part of a new initiative by the company are also at risk of getting laid off since the initiatives are often scrapped when the money runs low.

Ex-Microsoft HR VP on safe employees

Coming to the types of employees who are most likely to remain safe during the layoffs wave, Chris feels that the employees whose jobs are boosting the profits of the company directly are less likely to get fired. “The closer your job is to the most profitable activities of the company, the lower your risk of layoff,” he writes.

He then adds that people who belong to teams like human resources and finance are less likely to be impacted. This is because HR is instrumental in the firing process and the finance team is the one that the company can rely on for more scrutiny of the financial status. He also adds that in many companies, HR or Finance teams are already having limited people hence there is usually 'little excess to cut' from these teams.