[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":206},["ShallowReactive",2],{"story-1996-en":3},{"id":4,"slug":5,"slugs":5,"currentSlug":5,"title":6,"subtitle":7,"coverImagesSmall":8,"coverImages":9,"content":42,"questions":43,"relatedArticles":56,"body_color":204,"card_color":205},"1996",null,"The Great Workforce Transformation: Navigating the Era of 'Forever Layoffs'","- Emerging labor market dynamics reshape employment security for knowledge workers",[],[10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,14,41],"https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/Zv.6AgoEvvvANx5cv7Z4LA--~B/aD0xMDgwO3c9MTkyMDthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/video.cbsnewsvideos.com/41a95617ff19fe1363724c3faf86048a","https://assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2025/12/14/80bee379-dc22-4227-a32c-c3061becea97/thumbnail/1280x720/fcfdcdc39badd049f8a6d7a2330519a8/layoffs-2025-1920.jpg","https://images.foxtv.com/static.livenowfox.com/www.livenowfox.com/content/uploads/2025/12/932/524/empty-office-cubicles-layoffs.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1","https://i0.wp.com/balleralert.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/unemployment-jobs-laid-off-going-up-blue-background-words-on-wall-words-in-wild-economy_t20_gLm06x-scaled.jpg?resize=750%2C375&ssl=1","https://d1-invdn-com.investing.com/content/pice9590ae33b53c67e25afbf47214da83f.png","https://fortune.com/img-assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-2224699898-e1764876128252.jpg?format=webp&w=1440&q=100","https://newsfile.futunn.com/public/NN-PersistNewsContentImage/7781/20251214/0-17f05e88a9a6167b2e4cada16fd70987-1-d655274be5cae6c20d745b4975bf3157.jpg/big","https://www.moneytalksnews.com/workers/images/width=1920/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/30084612/shutterstock_2279826353-scaled.jpg?s=c838fbf0747245c2de32b1f33693cc698848de93dd62f5f40e865e918b9eded9","https://images.foxtv.com/static.fox9.com/www.fox9.com/content/uploads/2025/12/1280/720/6pkg-_-lots-of-layoffs-_-godfrey_00.00.23.22.jpg?ve=1&tl=1","https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-1669240551-2-1200x900.jpg","https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt08823f5db61ded5d/bltb77719a808aab726/6936e3d62ead249c217758aa/pensive-businessman-demaerre-istock-getty.jpg?width=1280&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale","https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZVvc!,w_1200,h_600,c_fill,f_jpg,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4dcaec6b-dc86-44e1-a25f-fe0d6fc22fb6_2022x1200.png","https://images.timesnownews.com/thumb/msid-153254279,thumbsize-1144629,width-1280,height-720,resizemode-75/153254279.jpg","https://www.webpronews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/article-3626-1765395925.jpeg","https://cdn1.wionews.com/prod/wion/images/2025/20251208/0812_USLAYOFF_930PM-00000002.jpg?im=FitAndFill=(700,400)","https://d.ibtimes.co.uk/en/full/1775958/layoff.png?w=736&f=77333150bd9b24f9755b9d52420361be","https://www.el-balad.com/uploads/images/202512/image_870x_693886cdb7a6a.webp","https://media.theeverygirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/the-forever-layoff-the-everygirl-feature.jpg","https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2025/12/14/f9a71f59-99d9-4a9b-a66e-c40e28860309/thumbnail/1200x630/c373805f5366d0e69f43971943d7808d/empty-office-chairs-1280.jpg","https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1SdRw6.img?w=768&h=432&m=4&q=100","https://media.knewz.com/bdbyftnvpv/styles/article-hero/2025/12/12/3-1.jpg.webp?t=f88d2a31.webp","https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/h9vjLQT307U8TwjWW5V9T4fr19zUeFyX11Vazqck.jpg","https://static.news.bitcoin.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/layoffs-are-approaching-1-2-million-the-worst-since-the-2009-great-recession.jpg","https://news-api.bloomberglaw.com/v1/resize-image?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbloomberg-bna-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe0%2Faa%2F1a3ee58e472b88d7e5f90aee71dc%2Fgettyimages-2243393541.jpg&width=1240&height=480&fit=cover","https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1O1Opd?w=300&h=300&q=60&m=6&f=jpg&u=t","https://m.economictimes.com/thumb/msid-125891696,width-1200,height-900,resizemode-4,imgsize-150364/recession-like-carnage-in-us-1-1-million-workers-laid-off-this-year-in-one-of-the-biggest-job-purges-yet.jpg","https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/vcreporter.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/a8/6a84f561-50be-42cd-8d1c-a2132ac475f4/6938b7d2826a9.image.jpg?resize=400%2C267","https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/GettyImages-2233901288.jpg?w=1600&h=900&q=88","https://images.financialexpressdigital.com/2025/08/FEATURE-IMAGE-2025-07-05T094742.994_20250806025931.jpg","https://realinvestmentadvice.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/730_x_410_Daily_Market_Commentary_Header.png","https://media.nw18.com/media-assets/wbx6pq/12-2025/10-2025/9rWAHMDrbv-thumbnail1765386421997jpg-3lOEGnGfRc.jpg?im=FitAndFill,width=1200,height=675","https://hrexecutive.com/wp-content/uploads/Screenshot_4-12-2025_15292_www.challengergray.com_.jpeg","The United States is experiencing a profound **workforce restructuring** that goes far beyond traditional economic cycles. In 2025, over **1.1 million workers** have been displaced through what experts are calling 'forever layoffs' - a strategic approach to workforce management that represents a fundamental shift in corporate human capital strategies.\n\n**Technological disruption** is driving this transformation, with **artificial intelligence** playing a nuanced but significant role. Contrary to popular narrative, AI ranks sixth among layoff causes, behind broader economic factors and corporate restructuring. However, its impact is unmistakable: nearly **55,000 job losses** have been directly attributed to AI automation, signaling a deeper technological recalibration of the workforce.\n\nThe layoff landscape has fundamentally changed. Companies are moving away from massive, headline-grabbing cuts to a **'rolling layoff' model** - smaller, more frequent reductions that provide maximum operational flexibility. According to Glassdoor's 2026 Worklife Trends Report, **51% of job cuts** now involve fewer than 50 workers simultaneously, creating a persistent environment of workplace uncertainty.\n\nThis transformation reveals a stark economic paradox. Corporate profits remain high, and CEO compensation continues to grow, while workers face increasing job insecurity. The **'K-shaped' economic recovery** highlights this disparity, with wealthy consumers maintaining spending levels while lower-income groups experience significant financial strain.\n\nThe human cost is profound. Workers like Heidi Roberts, who applied to 56-60 jobs and received only seven callbacks, illustrate the challenging employment landscape. Remote workers are particularly vulnerable, experiencing declining career opportunities and increasingly accepting less desirable positions out of necessity.\n\nExperts like Bob Chapman of Barry-Wehmiller criticize this approach, arguing that layoffs represent a failure of leadership and business model adaptation. The psychological impact is equally significant - creating a **'slow-bleed culture'** of chronic stress, eroded workplace trust, and silent competition.\n\nLooking forward, the message is clear: workers must prioritize adaptability, continuous skill development (especially **AI literacy**), and building robust professional networks. The era of job security from a single employer is rapidly becoming obsolete.",[44,47,50,53],{"title":45,"answer":46,"author":5,"avatar":5,"time":5},"Why are companies adopting the 'forever layoffs' approach?","Companies are using incremental layoffs to maintain maximum operational flexibility, minimize negative publicity, and gradually adjust headcount in response to market changes and technological disruption. This approach allows executives to slice workforce costs while avoiding significant market scrutiny.",{"title":48,"answer":49,"author":5,"avatar":5,"time":5},"What does the 'K-shaped' recovery mean for workers?","The 'K-shaped' recovery indicates a growing economic disparity where wealthy consumers continue spending freely while lower-income groups experience increasing financial strain. For workers, this means more competitive job markets, potential wage pressures, and a need for continuous upskilling to remain economically relevant.",{"title":51,"answer":52,"author":5,"avatar":5,"time":5},"What strategies can workers use to protect themselves?","Workers should focus on continuous skill development, particularly AI literacy, building robust professional networks, staying visibly valuable to their organizations, and maintaining adaptability. The key is to view personal development as an ongoing process rather than relying on job security from a single employer.",{"title":54,"answer":55,"author":5,"avatar":5,"time":5},"How is AI actually impacting job losses?","Contrary to popular belief, AI is not the primary driver of job cuts. While responsible for nearly 55,000 job losses, it ranks sixth among layoff causes. Most cuts are driven by broader economic factors, corporate restructuring, and strategic workforce optimization.",[57,62,67,72,77,81,85,89,93,97,101,106,110,115,120,124,129,133,138,142,146,150,154,158,162,166,171,175,179,182,186,189,193,197,201],{"id":58,"title":59,"source":60,"logo":18,"time":61},85271,"U.S. layoffs hit five-year high: over 1 million jobs lost","https://www.fox9.com/news/u-s-layoffs-hit-five-year-high-over-1-million-jobs-lost","5D AGO",{"id":63,"title":64,"source":65,"logo":28,"time":66},85270,"What are the prospects for laid-off workers?","https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-are-the-prospects-for-laid-off-workers/","3D AGO",{"id":68,"title":69,"source":70,"logo":37,"time":71},85237,"Layoffs Hit Five Year High as Over 1 Million People Lose Jobs","https://www.newsweek.com/layoffs-hit-five-year-high-as-over-1-million-people-lose-jobs-11183489","7D AGO",{"id":73,"title":74,"source":75,"logo":41,"time":76},85236,"Job cuts highest since 2020: The real reasons why","https://hrexecutive.com/job-cuts-highest-since-2020-the-real-reasons-why/","8D AGO",{"id":78,"title":79,"source":80,"logo":32,"time":76},85239,"Layoffs Are Approaching 1.2 Million, the Worst Since the 2009 ‘Great Recession’","https://news.bitcoin.com/layoffs-are-approaching-1-2-million-the-worst-since-the-2009-great-recession/",{"id":82,"title":83,"source":84,"logo":26,"time":71},85238,"Recession Triggers 1.1 Million Permanent Layoffs by November","https://www.el-balad.com/6790285",{"id":86,"title":87,"source":88,"logo":38,"time":71},85233,"US job cuts top 1 million as layoffs reach highest level in five years: Report","https://www.financialexpress.com/world-news/us-news/us-job-cuts-top-1-million-as-layoffs-reach-highest-level-in-five-years-report/4072530/",{"id":90,"title":91,"source":92,"logo":40,"time":71},85232,"US Layoffs Hit New High with Over One Million Affected | Firstpost America","https://www.firstpost.com/web-show/firstpost-america/us-layoffs-hit-new-high-with-over-one-million-affected-firstpost-america-vd1715991/",{"id":94,"title":95,"source":96,"logo":35,"time":71},85235,"Recession-like carnage in US: 1.1 million workers laid off this year in one of the biggest job purges yet","https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/us/recession-like-carnage-in-us-1-1-million-workers-laid-off-this-year-in-one-of-the-biggest-job-purges-yet/articleshow/125891696.cms",{"id":98,"title":99,"source":100,"logo":21,"time":71},85234,"More layoffs, more corporate earnings growth? 🤑","https://www.tker.co/p/ai-layoffs-earnings-growh-wells-fargo",{"id":102,"title":103,"source":104,"logo":12,"time":105},85250,"US layoffs soar past 1.1M in 2025, highest level since the pandemic","https://www.fox4news.com/news/us-layoffs-2025-highest-level-since-pandemic","12D AGO",{"id":107,"title":108,"source":109,"logo":15,"time":76},85272,"'Forever layoffs' hit a recession trigger as 1.1 million workers get sacked through November","https://fortune.com/2025/12/09/forever-layoffs-job-security-k-shaped-economy-white-collar-recession-challenger-glassdoor/",{"id":111,"title":112,"source":113,"logo":27,"time":114},87673,"PSA: We’ve Officially Entered the Era of the “Forever Layoff”","https://theeverygirl.com/what-is-the-forever-layoff/","9D AGO",{"id":116,"title":117,"source":118,"logo":23,"time":119},85231,"US Firms Announce 1.1 Million Job Cuts in 2025 Amid AI and Economic Shifts","https://www.webpronews.com/us-firms-announce-1-1-million-job-cuts-in-2025-amid-ai-and-economic-shifts/","6D AGO",{"id":121,"title":122,"source":123,"logo":36,"time":119},85230,"Purple is the New Party | Lay off the layoffs","https://www.vcreporter.com/opinion/purple-is-the-new-party-lay-off-the-layoffs/article_cc1f0a0b-3b5a-472c-a585-c530efbb119c.html",{"id":125,"title":126,"source":127,"logo":25,"time":128},87580,"The 'Forever Layoff' Era: 2025 Becomes the Worst Year for Job Security — Here's Who's Hit Hardest","https://www.inkl.com/news/the-forever-layoff-era-2025-becomes-the-worst-year-for-job-security-here-s-who-s-hit-hardest","2D AGO",{"id":130,"title":131,"source":132,"logo":33,"time":119},85229,"Layoff Surge Spurs Fresh Push to Update Federal, State WARN Acts","https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/layoff-surge-spurs-fresh-push-to-update-federal-state-warn-acts",{"id":134,"title":135,"source":136,"logo":30,"time":137},85226,"Mass layoff warning signs increasing","https://knewz.com/mass-layoff-warning-signs-increasing/","4D AGO",{"id":139,"title":140,"source":141,"logo":17,"time":114},85248,"1.2 Million U.S. Jobs Have Been Cut So Far This Year. Here Are the 7 Hardest-Hit Sectors.","https://www.moneytalksnews.com/million-american-jobs-were-cut-through-november-here-are-the-hardest-hit-sectors/",{"id":143,"title":144,"source":145,"logo":31,"time":137},85225,"The Great Divergence: America's K-Shaped Economy Accelerates into a Post-Labor Future","https://quasa.io/media/the-great-divergence-america-s-k-shaped-economy-accelerates-into-a-post-labor-future",{"id":147,"title":148,"source":149,"logo":20,"time":114},85247,"Manufacturing Job Losses Hit 100K in 2025 Despite Low Claims","https://www.plasticstoday.com/workforce-training/us-labor-market-shows-mixed-signals-as-manufacturing-loses-nearly-100k-jobs-despite-low-jobless-claims",{"id":151,"title":152,"source":153,"logo":16,"time":66},85269,"Over 1.17 million people have been laid off!","https://news.futunn.com/en/post/66165009/over-1-17-million-people-have-been-laid-off",{"id":155,"title":156,"source":157,"logo":14,"time":114},86812,"Rising Layoffs Hint at Structural Labor Weakness Despite Calm Jobless Claims","https://www.investing.com/analysis/rising-layoffs-hint-at-structural-labor-weakness-despite-calm-jobless-claims-200671425",{"id":159,"title":160,"source":161,"logo":29,"time":61},85228,"Despite 3-year low in jobless claims, 71,000 jobs vanish in worst November since 2022","https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/despite-3-year-low-in-jobless-claims-71-000-jobs-vanish-in-worst-november-since-2022/ar-AA1SdMhk?ocid=finance-verthp-feeds",{"id":163,"title":164,"source":165,"logo":5,"time":61},85227,"Layoffs in the US at a 5-year-high","https://www.fox9.com/video/1755294",{"id":167,"title":168,"source":169,"logo":22,"time":170},85249,"Layoff Tsunami 2025: Over 1.2 Million Workers Face Job Cut Worldwide","https://www.timesnownews.com/business-economy/economy/layoff-tsunami-2025-over-1-2-million-workers-face-job-cut-worldwide-year-ender-article-153254209","11D AGO",{"id":172,"title":173,"source":174,"logo":34,"time":114},85244,"If work felt unstable this year, you’re not imagining it: These are the key layoff and unemployment numbers from 2025","https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/if-work-felt-unstable-this-year-you-re-not-imagining-it-these-are-the-key-layoff-and-unemployment-numbers-from-2025/ar-AA1RXb41?ocid=finance-verthp-feeds",{"id":176,"title":177,"source":178,"logo":5,"time":114},85243,"How 1.1 million layoffs in 2025 are rewriting employee-employer relationships","https://www.thehrdigest.com/how-1-1-million-layoffs-in-2025-are-rewriting-employee-employer-relationships/",{"id":180,"title":64,"source":181,"logo":11,"time":66},85224,"https://www.cbsnews.com/video/what-are-the-prospects-for-laid-off-workers/",{"id":183,"title":184,"source":185,"logo":24,"time":114},85246,"USA layoffs: AI, Tariffs fuel America's layoff wave","https://www.wionews.com/videos/usa-layoffs-ai-tariffs-fuel-america-s-layoff-wave-1765216131126",{"id":187,"title":64,"source":188,"logo":10,"time":66},85223,"https://www.yahoo.com/news/videos/prospects-laid-off-workers-145503570.html",{"id":190,"title":191,"source":192,"logo":19,"time":114},85245,"If Work Felt Unstable This Year, You’re Not Imagining It: These Are The Key Layoff And Unemployment Numbers From 2025","https://www.essence.com/news/money-career/2025-job-market-numbers/",{"id":194,"title":195,"source":196,"logo":13,"time":114},85240,"U.S. Job Cuts Hit Nearly 1.2 Million in 2025","https://balleralert.com/profiles/blogs/mass-layoffs-hit-the-u-s-hard-over-1-2-million-jobs-on-the-chopping-block/",{"id":198,"title":199,"source":200,"logo":39,"time":114},85242,"1 Million Layoffs","https://realinvestmentadvice.com/resources/blog/1-million-layoffs/",{"id":202,"title":156,"source":203,"logo":14,"time":114},85241,"https://ng.investing.com/analysis/rising-layoffs-hint-at-structural-labor-weakness-despite-calm-jobless-claims-212520","#162f50ff","#162f504d",1765967488188]