What to do after laying off a team member
I have to let a team member go on Friday, and HR just sent me the script I’m required to read. She’s been with the company for years, and the whole thing feels incredibly cold and impersonal. I care about her a lot and feel like we’ve built a real relationship over the years, so part of me wants to call or text her afterward just as a human being, but I also don’t want to create legal risk for the company or say/do something that unintentionally makes things harder for her. What makes this even worse is that I have a scheduled 1:1 with her the day before, and I’m expected to act completely normal like nothing is happening. That part feels especially wrong. For those who’ve had to do layoffs or terminations before, did you reach out afterward, or keep strict boundaries? Any advice would really help.