When your work besties are laid off.

If you’ve read my past blog posts or talked to me in person, you know I love my job. Annoying levels of “I love my job.” Like, You-roll-your-eyes-when-I-tell-work-stories level of loving my job.

T3 has taught me so much. One of those things is the importance of culture and the value of people. I’ve always felt supported and comfortable enough to innovate, brainstorm, and try new things. It is that comfort and support that has given me my career. A career I never thought possible.

 For our recent all-team retreat in Phoenix, I was asked to put together a special video to document the journey of T3, its evolution and how that change led to a better company. Throughout that journey I noticed one constant: T3’s commitment to its people.

 I was so proud of this video. I dug up old newspaper clips, team photos from the past 20 years, different iterations of work product, and the leaps and bounds our marketing and design has taken since the company’s founding. Set to “Beautiful Life” by Lost Frequencies, I closed the video with rapid-fire images of all the employees at T3 and a quote that can be found on the walls of our California offices: 

“It’s the people. People are the most important part of your company,” by the late, great, Coach Bill Campbell. 

Fast forward to the last day in our Boston office before heading home to quarantine with the rest of the world. We had our final in-person meeting catered, hosted and prepared by our amazing marketing group, with support from our COO. I sat in the back, admiring the passion and hard work these three women demonstrated. We’re a small company, and years ago, marketing and operations were one of my “hats,” and three weeks ago, I saw that hat proudly worn by strong, creative professionals; and let’s face it—it looked better on them.

 We wrapped up the day, packed up, and headed to our home offices for the foreseeable future. Little did we know, that day was the last we’d spend together in a professional capacity.

On Friday, T3’s leadership made the difficult decision to lay off a portion of the workforce, some of whom were my oldest and closest colleagues.  

 I have been at T3 for five years and people and culture were always important. In fact, my first retreat with the company was just three weeks into my career. I remembered being in awe when everyone got up and shared a professional goal as well as a personal goal. The personal goals were just that—personal. With hugs and nods of encouragement, everyone took the time to celebrate and acknowledge each other as humans. It was at that moment I knew I had made the right decision to join T3. 

 I wasn’t in the room for the downsizing conversations. Just a year before, I watched our CEO give a tear-filled toast to a colleague who hit his 10-year milestone and now discussing their separation must have been agonizing. 

 I have given five passionate years to T3. T3’s leadership team has given their all—their savings, their reputations, sleepless nights, and time from their families—if I felt the weight of their decisions, I can only begin to imagine their load. 

 T3 leadership had to make the difficult decision to think about the people in the short and long term. Balancing the uncertainty of the times with the desire to be a firm for people to work for years to come. 

My career is all about people—how to make employees happy, productive, and feel supported while aligning those things with business objectives. Friday, I watched as some of my closest colleagues, mentors, lunch buddies, and friends got laid off due to COVID-19, and I cried. 

 I cried for the culture we’ve built, their stunted careers, their families, their confidence, and my lunch hours to come. 

T3 will undoubtedly continue to give our clients top-tier service. We will still be creative, nimble, scrappy, and innovative. We’ve been competing with the best and winning because of our mentality, and we will continue to do so. 

 T3, and any company going through downsizing, will need to invest energy in the employees who are still in the trenches as well as those they had to part ways with. There will be trust issues, high emotions, new roles, and new job responsibilities—mixed with the relief of having a job and desire to see our company do well and come out stronger on the other side. I will proudly still give my all, wear as many hats as needed, but it will take me a little time to love my job again. 

I texted my CEO the night of all the news: “grateful to have a seat on the boat and I will help see her to safe harbor.” I mean it. I am grateful. I am also angry, sad, and hopeful for the future. 

Times of uncertainty gives us a chance to see our true colors. I plan to help T3 through this challenging time, for the people, and the firm I love so much. I will put on my big girl pants and get to work.