Impacted by the Sept layoffs - final thoughts

I am so sorry you had to go through that. It is a brutal reality check to realize that your years of loyalty are reduced to a headcount exercise. I was laid off a few years back and the best advice I received was to disconnect your identity from your job title immediately. Take that severance, give yourself a week to breathe, and don't look back at the corporate messaging. They will replace you in a heartbeat, so prioritize your mental health and your next move.

That is the classic corporate playbook. It is frustrating to hear about the lack of empathy, but unfortunately, these large medical device companies are becoming increasingly cold-blooded about their bottom line. Thanks for the warning about the personal files—people really underestimate how quickly access is cut off. It’s a sad state of affairs when tenured experts are treated as mere liabilities. Use your networks now and start reaching out to former colleagues who have already landed elsewhere; you’ll find that the people who were let go are often the most talented ones.