A remote worker recently went viral when he documented the moment he said he was laid off from his company.
TikToker Brandon White (@brandonwhite560) filmed the 16-second clip after receiving an abrupt phone call informing him he was no longer working for his company Captivate. Garnering over 624,000 views as of the publication of this article, the video drew a flood of supportive comments offering sympathy and advice.
White gave context to the video with an on-screen caption that read, “After working 12 years, they decided to let me go via telephone without reason.”
In the clip, a woman’s voice can be heard saying, “I’m actually here to inform you that today is your last day at Captivate.”
White then leaned back and rubbed his chin without responding. The video ended as he removed his headphones and stood up.
Multiple viewers offered their condolences, while others shared their own stories.
“Bro I’m sorry. working in the US is crazy. i am sick of it. i just want to do the best I can,” a viewer said.
“Got laid off after 20+ yrs with a tech company. 4 months later I landed a job (via LinkedIn friends connections) .. pay is better and 100% remote! Hang in there. Sometimes it meant to take a different road!” another said.
“After almost 8 years I was laid off before Thanksgiving. we are just a number,” a third added.
@brandonwhite560 #layoffs #tiktok #fyp #viralvideo #WhiteboiStyle #BWU4389 #Choices #WhiteFunny #workfromhome ♬ original sound – Celine
Some pointed out that company behavior is why trends like “Act Your Wage” are so popular. Like “quiet quitting,” Act Your Wage stems from a sense of helplessness and lack of motivation. A countermeasure made popular on TikTok, it is the belief that workers should only work as hard as they are paid.
“I’ve seen companies immediately lay off people who been with them 20+ years that’s why I’ll never give 2 wks,” one said.
“That why I got 3 jobs and looking a 4th, always have a backup,” a second added.
“Always have 2 jobs give 20% effort at each one. They want to pay lower so they will get lower effort. And always have that resume update. Focus on yourself!” a viewer suggested.
Business Insider reported that roughly 38% of surveyed business leaders believe that layoffs are likely in 2024. According to the survey, half of business leaders feared an imminent recession, and 4 in 10 claimed they would lay off employees as they implement AI. 26 companies already announced job cuts in 2024. For example, Google laid off hundreds of workers, and Citi plans to cut 20,000 jobs.
According to NerdWallet’s analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data, 19.8 million people were laid off in 2023, which is a 10% increase from 2022. NerdWallet also reports that layoffs will be isolated to a few key industries. These include tech, media, transportation, and the financial sector. Luckily, the outlet states that despite layoffs in a few key industries, the labor market has remained strong. The outlet also reports that the unemployment rate has stabilized between 3.4% and 3.9% since December 2021, and indicators suggest that unemployed workers won’t stay unemployed for long.
The Daily Dot reached out to White via TikTok comments for further information.
