Are you an executive, human resources leader, or hiring manager facing the difficult task of laying off a significant portion of your team? If so, you’re not alone. In 2025, the United States is experiencing a layoff wave that in some business sectors exceeds pandemic levels – but for very different reasons, such as IT transformation, trade policies, and an uncertain economic future.  

For those and other reasons, companies across most business sectors are cutting staff or freezing hiring. During times of organizational change, including workforce restructuring, downsizing, or job displacement, it’s important to restructure for continued stability and strength – and to also support departing employees in their transition to new opportunities.  

Assisting laid-off employees has become a common practice among employers

Known as providing outplacement or career transition services, this practice helps offboarded employees find other roles or enter new industries. These services can include career coaching, job search advice, interview training, paid resume writing, counseling services, extended gym memberships, professional references, and more.

The benefits end up being a two-way street

Employers that commit to helping employees find new jobs or careers during workforce restructuring do so with empathy and professionalism, giving former employees a softer landing. This is perceived as compassion by both former and remaining employees. It works to build trust, generate appreciation and respect, and keep the door open if the employer chooses to rehire professionals who were laid off.

What’s the best outplacement resource?

While there is an entire industry dedicated to providing employers with outplacement services, there are distinct advantages in partnering with a trusted talent recruiting firm instead. A recruiting firm not only provides offboarded employees with guidance, resources, and connections to more quickly and confidently find meaningful new roles, but we also have the expertise and resources to help employers onboard top talent with the skill sets and experience they currently lack but require for moving forward.  

Here’s a bigger picture of what’s happening across industries in 2025 and how a talent recruiter can help organizations manage workforce challenges and opportunities with ease and precision.  

How the 2025 layoff wave is “reshaping the workforce”  

While the current layoff wave has spared few industries, “some sectors have borne the brunt more than others,” says Forbes Senior Contributor Jack Kelly, who covers career growth, job market, and workplace trends. “Layoffs in 2025 are reshaping the workforce. Government, tech, retail, accounting, manufacturing, and logistics have been dealing with the biggest cuts. Driven by tariffs, cost-cutting, AI adoption, and federal downsizing, these layoffs show a shift in the economy.”   

Newsweek U.S. News Reporter Hugh Cameron, citing an analysis by outplacement firm Challenger, Gray, & Christmas, says, “In 2025, employers have announced 696,309 job cuts, up 80 percent from the 385,859 announced in the first five months of last year. As CGC noted, it would take only 65,049 cuts to surpass the total announced in 2024.”  

A few ways employers and the workforce are evolving…  

• Corporate restructuring will continue as additional rounds of layoffs are expected in 2025, particularly in the tech, federal, and other hard-hit sectors. 

• Upskilling and adaptation will become more prominent among members of the workforce, particularly for artificial intelligence (AI) roles, automation, green energy jobs, growth and expansion within the gig economy, and other sectors – all urging displaced workers to acquire new skill sets and increase professional networking to find new roles and career paths.  

• Employers are exercising the strategies of using more employee buyouts, flattening their middle management structures, and deploying outplacement support for departing employees to support new job placements and preserve their brand reputations.  

Why partner with a recruiting firm to help former staff and restructure your team?  

1. Specialized talent pools: Advanced technology is one of the driving forces behind organizational restructuring in 2025 (and beyond). As companies continue to adopt AI, machine learning, robotics, advanced cybersecurity tools, and other IT initiatives to create stronger and safer operations, they need the right talent in place as leaders and team members to drive ROI from their IT investments. Recruiting firms specialize in talent acquisition for this type and caliber of talent. 

2. Faster job placement: Recruiting firms also have access to extensive employer networks, which can help your former employees more quickly find and land new jobs.  

3. Professional career support: Talent recruiting experts provide all job seekers with resume help, preparation for the interview process, and personalized job search strategies, boosting their chances of success. Career success and meeting employer staffing needs are the reasons we exist. 

4. Protect your employer brand: Offering job search assistance shows that you care, helps maintain goodwill, protects your reputation, and helps in attracting talent and talent retention.

5. Reduce legal and emotional risk: Supporting outgoing employees can ease the emotional impact of layoffs and lower the chances of negative backlash or legal issues.  

6. Smooth transition for your remaining workforce: Providing outplacement services for laid-off employees fosters a more positive company culture and reassures remaining staff that your organization values people, even when tough decision making must prevail.

Reach out to our team of trusted recruiting experts   

Goodwin Recruiting is ready to assist you in providing outplacement services for laid-off employees. We’re also ready to help your organization onboard top talent with the skill sets and experience you require today and in the future. Hiring decisions and the most qualified candidates have never been more important than they are today.  

After over 25 years in business and having been recognized as a Forbes Best Recruiting Firm for six years in a row, we’re on top of the trends and workforce requirements of today’s employers across industries. 

Reach out to us today. We’ll support you and your team as you take on the future. We believe in strong relationships and would value the opportunity to become your trusted recruiting partner.  

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Additional resource from Great Place to Work: How to Lay Off Employees with Care and Compassion