These workers aren't waiting to be laid off - they're building a Plan B

"Permana's job security concerns began in February 2023, when he was placed on a performance improvement plan - a move he saw as a clear sign his job was in serious jeopardy. "I was desperate because from what I'd heard, once you are in a performance improvement plan, you are on your way out at Amazon," said the 47-year-old, who lives in California."

"While layoffs across the economy remain low by historical standards, white-collar workers have been disproportionately affected - and a hiring slowdown has made it harder for them to secure new roles. Business Insider has spoken with dozens of people laid off by major corporations as companies implement strategic shifts - including shedding management roles, reallocating resources toward AI initiatives, pushing out underperformers, and cutting costs across the board."

A software engineer placed on a performance improvement plan began an immediate job search while concerned about mortgage payments. He used remaining paternity leave to delay potential termination and buy time to search for new roles. Less than a month after returning from leave, he received an offer for a software engineering position at a mobile game developer. White-collar workers have been disproportionately affected by workforce changes despite historically low overall layoffs. A hiring slowdown and corporate strategic shifts—including reallocations toward AI, management cuts, pushing out underperformers, and broad cost-cutting—have made reemployment more difficult for many.

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