Company institutes layoffs for 4 years straight, employees who have held same job for 30 years complain that laid off coworkers are lazy: 'These people just don't want to work'

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  • An older woman writes on a notepad in front of her computer, as two colleagues work at their desks behind her
  • Overheard something that made my jaw drop at work

    At the office, I sit near 2 older women who like to gossip sometimes. Both women have been at our (large, finance) company for 30+ years each.
  • For context, we've had consistent, rolling layoffs since 2022, and the department immediately next to us was hit hard last year.
  • This is the conversation I overheard between them: A: "Have you heard anything from the laid off folks?" B: "No, I know \ [Coworker\] was part of that layoff but it's been 6 months...
  • An older woman works at a computer while two colleagues eat salad at their desks behind her
  • I mean I would take a break, maybe a month off, but come on. I would get bored after so long not working.
  • I wonder why they don't want to go back to work." A: "Yeah, I don't need that long of a break.
  • These people just don't want to work anymore." Obviously, I shouldn't take the words of 2 people who haven't applied for a job since applications were done via the Internet, but I can't believe anyone would actually think like that.
  • I'm assuming they don't read any news because how would you not know how bad this market is?
  • A businesswoman presents in a meeting room to colleagues sitting in rows
  • Murky_Combination_33 They sound like tone deaf boomers. Did they also say stuff like "I walked into this job"?
  • mag34 Original Poster's Reply No, but one of the women claimed that the younger people here get handed jobs and their parents pay for everything lol. I've met some incredibly smart and hardworking people who are under 25 at this company.
  • EmmyLou205 These women haven't looked for a job in 30 years so they have no clue
  • Proud_Writer_1854 Yeah it's been a year, it's bad
  • MomentOfClarity Only those who are going through it know how actually hard it is
  • apply_smarter To be fair, people who haven't job searched in 20-30 years genuinely have no idea how different the process is now. Back then you could apply to a handful of places, talk to a recruiter or hiring manager fairly quickly, and actually get feedback. Today it's hundreds of applications, automated screening systems, ghosting, and long hiring cycles. It's really just a completely different hiring landscape than the one they experienced.
  • skorvic It took my wife 18 months to find something. It's bad. Don't want to discourage folks reading this, but rather give comfort that they are not bad, it's just bad for everyone right now. P.S. the judgement while she was searching was pretty bad.
  • Guilty-Committee9622 People who aren't looking have no idea what is going on.
  • BuyerOk9535 Maybe when it is their turn. Private likes to fire old time folk.
  • Competitive_Unit_721 Two things here I see: Whether you agree or not, understand their context. They haven't been out of the workplace for 30 plus years. They just don't understand. Second. Really what they say isn't anyone's business to correct. I get it could be off putting or seem insensitive, but it was their conversation. I'd just move on.
  • Artistic_Olive_7569 Does your company give severance? At some large companies you can get up to a year with benefits. If that were me. I would be picky and wait for the right fit job not the right now job.

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