General Motors lays off employee of nearly 4 decades over email: ‘What should I do next?’
A General Motors veteran of nearly four decades lost his job in recent layoffs. His LinkedIn post is now going viral.
General Motors laid off around 1,000 employees last Friday in a cost-cutting measure as the company tries to compete in a crowded global automobile market. The workers, mostly white collar, were notified about the decisions early Friday.
Among those who lost their jobs was a GM veteran of 38 years, Adam Bernard, who called it “unexpected” news in a LinkedIn post.
“I was let go from GM”
US-based Bernard shared the news of being laid off from General Motors in a LinkedIn post four days ago. An auto industry expert who spent his entire career with GM, Bernard said he had not planned on starting a new chapter so late in life. And yet, after being laid off without so much as an in-person interview, the GM loyalist of nearly four decades was left searching for a new role.
“Well, in unexpected news, I was let go from GM at 5.07am this morning via email, along with (I hear unofficially) about 1,000 people globally. I wonder what I should do next...?” the ex-GM employee wrote on LinkedIn.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Bernard started his career with GM in 1986 as an analyst. Over the next few years, he rose through the ranks, even pursuing an MBA at Harvard to further his career prospects.
For the last 17 years, he had worked as Associate Director, Competitor Intelligence, leading a team to understand the competitions’ strategies.
In his follow-up post the day after being laid off, Bernard said he was open to work. “I am considering new roles and would appreciate your support. I hadn't planned on starting a new chapter at this point but I still love the auto industry and am looking to stay connected,” he wrote on LinkedIn.
Outrage over layoff
News of an industry veteran being laid off unceremoniously generated outrage on social media.
“I’ve come to realize after all these years your job at the end of the day gives zero sh*** about you. I’ve done it all from management to just a warehouse worker. It’s all the same,” wrote one Reddit user.
“They should be required by law to pay out full retirement to people when they lay them off or fire them after a certain age and amount of time worked there. Ridiculous that we allow companies to get away with this type of thing,” another added.
GM confirmed the layoffs but provided few details. “We need to optimize for speed and excellence,” the statement said. "This includes operating with efficiency, ensuring we have the right team structure and focusing on our top priorities."
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