Column: The human side of layoffs

Getting laid off from a job can be jarring and traumatic. But companies reducing their staff often paper over the emotional side of layoffs and reorganizations, put a positive spin on the situation in public and move forward.

That's not surprising. After all, companies are beholden to shareholders and investors and must demonstrate their investment is positioned to succeed. The message: Success means moving forward without missing a beat. Perhaps, but folks losing their jobs often get forgotten in corporate strategizing.

I thought of this recently with vehicle listings company TrueCar.

In June, TrueCar sacked its CEO and announced a restructuring involving a 24 percent work force reduction, or the slashing of 102 positions. Those departing employees got one-time employee benefits and severance payments, but stop and think for a minute: That's 102 people whose lives face major disruption. Some will find new jobs quickly, but others face stress, anxiety and uncertainty. Folks remaining at the company will endure extra work and uncertainty of their own as departments are streamlined and responsibilities are shifted to compensate for the reductions.

TrueCar's new CEO, Jantoon Reigersman, and his team may have had talks with staff to address their anxieties in private; the company has not responded to a query about steps taken to lessen the restructuring's personal impact. Reigersman was all business, however, indirectly addressing the job cuts and restructuring during the company's Aug. 1 earnings call.

"The team is working tremendously well coming together," Reigersman said. "It's a smaller team, it's a nimble team, and the team continues to work super hard. It's an exciting time for the company."

The message was that restructuring is going nicely and full speed ahead.

And that was it.