23% Of Professionals Have Seen COVID-19 Related Layoffs

Numerous companies have pledged not to layoff their workforce as a response to COVID-19. With that commitment in mind, Blind, the anonymous professional network with 3.5MM+ verified professionals, asked professionals about layoffs, empathy, and morale in a time of a pandemic: 

• Has your company had COVID-19 related layoffs? 
• Do you feel your company treated you with dignity and empathy?
• Has your perception of your company changed since the start of the pandemic? 
• Has your company provided adequate resources to make WFH easier? (i.e., stipends for setups, software, etc.)

Key Findings as of (4/24-4/27) (~6,000 Responses): 

• 23% of companies have had COVID-19 related layoffs
  • Airbnb, Booking.com, and Expedia all have high layoff percentages 
  • 34% of finance professionals have been promised not to have COVID-19 related layoffs
  • 14% of finance versus 20.8% of tech professionals have seen COVID-19 related layoffs
  • 11% of Apple professionals have seen COVID-19 related layoffs
• 83% of professionals feel their company treated you with dignity and empathy
  • 91% of Microsoft employees feel Microsoft treated you with dignity and empathy
  • 32% of Lyft professionals state Lyft did not treat them with dignity and empathy
  • 21% of Uber professionals say Uber did not treat them with dignity and empathy
• 18% of professionals perception of their company has worsened since the start of the pandemic
  • 23% of Uber professionals perception of their company has worsened since the start of the pandemic
  • 28% of Oracle professionals perception of their company has worsened since the start of the pandemic
• 64% of professionals state their company provided adequate resources to make WFH easier
  • 100% of Adobe professionals said their company provided adequate resources to make WFH easier
  • 97% of LinkedIn professionals said their company provided adequate resources to make WFH easier

People will always remember who was taken care of by their employer and how companies reacted in this historic global economy. This is an opportunity to win goodwill and let the mission drive forward. We are already seeing this trend on posts on Blind, where professionals already stated: “I am never interviewing there.”  The  3.5MM+  verified professionals on Blind drive the kind of transparency that breaks down professional barriers. The direct correlation between empathy and perception of the company should empower business leaders to make informed decisions and inspire productive change in the workplace that puts their professionals first.This is an opportunity for companies and leaders to pivot and become something better, to brand themselves as a company that cares for its employees, consumers and overall society.