“The public sharing of layoff experiences on platforms like TikTok reflects a shift towards greater transparency and a desire to share personal stories in a digital world,” Farah Sharghi, a San Francisco-based tech recruiter, told BBC. “It also underscores the emotional and professional impact of corporate decisions on individuals. It’s one thing to talk about being laid off – it’s another to experience it with the person being impacted as it’s happening to them in real-time.”

She adds that posting such videos can shift the blame towards the company while noting that the layoff has more to do with a company-wide initiative than a result of the employee’s overall performance.

“The company [may try] to shift the blame of the layoff onto the employee — when in reality, if it’s a mass layoff, it could either be the failing of leadership or a shift in technology that’s driving change,” Sharghi added. “These videos are exposing the failings of companies.”

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