LinkedIn has a lot of activity from people who have lost their jobs through layoffs. It seems like most of the posts start today: “I sad to announce that after _________ years with _______ company I have learned that my job has been eliminated. “This means new opportunities if you know of anyone who may be hiring.

Getting laid off is a challenging experience for any person. It is especially hard for the high performer who was all on for the job. This person drank the culture cool-aid, wore the shirt, cheered at the meetings, and sacrificed much to give their best. Now, in just a moment, it is all gone.

Many companies immediately shut off company access for the employees, asking them to clear personal things out and leave.

Add insult to injury.

No, you did nothing wrong. No, you are not a bad person or a low performer. The business changed, funding was removed, or some other vague economic factor has resulted in eliminating a budget line item. You.

Knowing these facts does not make it any easier to take. You are a human with feelings and a performer with a commitment to the cause.

I was especially stricken by a post from a person a couple of weeks ago. Her post was so powerful that I could not stop thinking about it. I wish I could speak to her in person to let her know everything will be okay. Performers win and perform no matter where they work.