I’ve been with Criteo for less than one year. I was very pleased to receive an offer.
Today, I was laid off from Criteo. In a five minute digital meeting with my boss, she informed me that my position was eliminated (“a reduction in force, decision not reflective of my performance, return your laptop in 30 days, etc.”), and then she left the meeting so that the HR Manager could provide the logistics of my unplanned departure. The end.
This is not my first time being laid off. It is, however, the first time that a lay off felt impersonal. As I was signing my digital paperwork, my boss shot over to me a message via Slack, saying, “So sorry. Best of luck!” No messages from the leaders or the team. Four individual colleagues reached out to share their sadness, appreciation and best wishes before my systems access was shut off. That’s all. I truly feel like a number who was erased. What happened to the relationships that I had established? Did I mean nothing to them? Any appreciation? Did I achieve anything? It feels like a year of my life wasted.
If this is the Future of Work, I don’t want it.