Photo: TikTok
Even her success in the company couldn't save her from being cut.
By Nia Tipton — Written on May 10, 2023
According to Business Insider, more than 187,000 employees were slashed from tech companies in 2023 alone — compared to 80,000 in March to December 2020 and 15,000 in 2021. With layoffs continuing to rise as the months tick by, many people are scrambling to make sure they aren't drastically affected by it.
Such was the case for one woman, who was suddenly laid off by her company. While she shared that she was able to find another job in the interim, in a TikTok video, she shared some advice for other employees on where she felt she went wrong.
She explained workers should start 'setting boundaries' with employers because it doesn't affect whether they are laid off or not.
In a video, TikTok user "@suburbconvert" revealed to viewers that her position at a tech company was impacted by the major IT corporate layoffs that have been happening. For her, the loss of her job came quite suddenly, especially since she considered herself to be a stellar worker.
"Like many of us, I was a top performer that got let go with no notice," the mother-of-one said. She reflected on the amount of work she put into her job, even when she shouldn't have had to, explaining that for most of the vacations or paid time off that she took, she was most likely working during it.
"I can't tell you how many — no, all of my family vacations that I took while at that company, I worked while I was on vacation," she recalled. "I brought my laptop and worked because I felt like that would be rewarded at the end."
Unfortunately, all of the hard work, and putting hours upon hours into her job position weren't taken into consideration when she was laid off, and now, it's something she wants other people in the workforce to understand. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
"All of this is to say is that if you are still employed, set boundaries," she said of an employee to their employer. "What are they going to do? Fire you? If you don't set boundaries they're firing you anyways."
She continued, offering her sympathy to those out there who have been affected by the layoffs and are now scrambling to find somewhere else to work, while also grappling with the fact that they were suddenly let go with no warning.
Now, working at Chipotle, she pointed out that even though it's not the same position she held before, she now has peace of mind and the luxury of being able to put herself first, which she felt she didn't have when working at a big corporation. "Your mental health and your life is not worth the salary or the accomplishment of a 'career,'" she stressed.
Setting boundaries with an employer is important in fostering a healthy work-life balance.
Creating boundaries with an employer allows employees to create a clear separation between their personal life and work responsibilities. Without clear boundaries, employees may find themselves constantly working, always "on call," or unable to disconnect from work-related demands.
This can lead to burnout, a state of chronic physical and emotional exhaustion. By setting boundaries, individuals can preserve their energy, maintain productivity, and reduce the risk of burnout.
In a study conducted by Asana, of over 10,000 knowledge workers across seven countries, approximately 70% of people experienced burnout in the last year. When people experience burnout, they are also more likely to have lower morale (36% of people), be less engaged (30%), make more mistakes (27%), and miscommunicate (25%). They are also more likely to leave the company (25%).
Setting boundaries is, of course, a two-way process. Employers should also respect and support the boundaries set by their employees, fostering a mutually beneficial relationship.
Nia Tipton is a Brooklyn-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.