Employees were starting work as usual. The routine, from emails from managers, standard meetings, to other basic daily tasks. There were no warning signs, no red flags they could’ve caught. For most, the workday was about wrapping up projects or doing presentations. No one would’ve seen this coming. Certainly, this is not the way a termination process should happen. But, has any protocol actually been followed? Have the employees missed out on vital clues from their superiors? Let’s dive into what occurred with this biotech company, and if there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to laying people off work.
Access Was Already Lost
Some people may be wondering, how did the layoff process actually take place? A number of employees realized they’ve been terminated when they lost access to company systems. No warning happened, instead login attempts failed, badge scanners rejected them, and office doors stopped opening for them. One person in particular shared how they were literally locked out of the building after going to the bathroom. Before an official email, the company’s infrastructure quietly cut them off.
Benefits Portal Spelled It Out
That’s not the only way employees learned of their status though. Others logged into their benefits dashboard only to find their status already marked as “terminated”. People talked about how one single screen update confirmed the worst: and that is, mass layoffs. Within minutes afterwards, HR disabled all remaining access.
Slack Took The Spotlight
Corporate Slack channels sometimes gave away the plan by posting confidential layoff announcements in open executive-level groups. But employees reported seeing the plan scroll past before anyone was formally notified. In a Reddit post, we got more insight into how staff realized what was happening, when Slack channels lit up unexpectedly: RIF (Reduction in Force) details spread faster than the official memos.
Meeting Invites As Goodbyes
At the end of some random workdays, layoffs would be announced via calendar invites titled “confidential meeting”. Yet they were sent out after system access had already started shutting off. HR asked, more so demanded, recipients to attend the next day… and explicitly told them not to show up to the office until they’d get confirmation to. Truth be told, people were already suspicious. With how notorious HR generally is, it’s no wonder they’d be able to lay off someone before they’re even able to park their car… right?
No Severance? No Support?
A surprise termination is, at the very least, embarrassing. At its worst, it can ruin someone’s life. However, with termination usually comes severance pay. Employees are entitled to their rights, but in this case, many reported that severance packages were limited… or non-existent. COBRA health coverage help was minimal too. Some people were offered just a notice. No extended benefits, no outplacement services. This means emotional, financial, mental distress, everything that employees shouldn’t have to experience.
Culture-Weakening Consequences
As a rule of thumb, when layoffs appear to be either spontaneous or secretive, the remaining staff reports “moral disengagement”. HR loses trust. The leadership more so. By plotting and scheming behind the scene, to the detriment of people who work for a guaranteed quality of life, the company by itself risks imploding. Suspicion rises as communication proves defective. Biopharma workers, as many others, say they value transparency. When that goes missing, nothing else really matters as much for long-term survival.
Layoffs Are Currently On The Rise
These bizarre layoff stories are not singular, but tragically, part of a bigger trend. Layoffs in biopharma jumped about 31% in the first half of 2025, with approximately 24,000 positions eliminated across the sector. Many companies perform really poorly in the communication department. Plus, according to one BioSpace survey, 21% of firms are anticipating layoffs this year.
What Employees Should Do Now
Stay alert: if your benefits portal changes or badge access fails out of sync with announcements, treat it as a warning. Starting now, save your personal files, keep LinkedIn updated, and make sure to explore internal transfers… discreetly. Also, seize control by reaching out directly to HR if there’s sudden change in your access. Don’t wait for the offer letter, that’s very likely to be the short end of the stick.
Communication Matters
Biotech layoffs shouldn’t only be read from an economical standpoint. They’re about dignity. How people are told vital information matters, in most cases, just as much as the fact that they lost their jobs in the blink of an eye. In such a competitive industry that’s built on trust and innovation, should an exit not be done properly, well… it will leave scars. Companies might not see it now due to thinking of immediate solutions, but terminated employees won’t be the only ones struggling. So better planning, clearer communication, and basic respect should never be optional, even in troubled times.