While layoffs often grab the headlines, it’s the employees left behind who are carrying the burden, and many are doing it without a roadmap. A new survey from Kahoot! reveals that U.S. companies are neglecting a critical part of their workforce strategy: training and re-onboarding the people who survive layoffs.
According to the 2025 Layoff Survivor Survey, 70% of employees said a structured re-onboarding program would have eased their transition, but only 27% received one.
This blind spot comes as Gallup reports the lowest U.S. workplace engagement in a decade. With organisational shakeups and global uncertainty continuing, the absence of structured support is fueling confusion, mistakes, and a quiet exodus, especially among younger workers.
“Surviving a layoff doesn’t mean surviving the impact,” said Eilert Hanoa, CEO of Kahoot!. “When companies cut headcount without supporting those who remain, they are not just risking morale and employee engagement. They are risking mistakes, missed opportunities, and lost talent. The knowledge left with those layoffs is not easily replaced. Without proper re-onboarding, what is lost can ripple across the entire organisation.”
The DIY Era of Post-Layoff Work
For many, “learning on the job” has become “learning on your own.” After layoffs, 84% of employees spent time each week teaching themselves how to manage new responsibilities. One in four spent more than four hours a week doing so. Only 27% received any formal training for these tasks.
Instead, most survivors turned to peer learning (55%), trial and error (44%), and even YouTube or Google (28%). The result? A hidden productivity tax on employees and a growing sense of professional disorientation.
Among Gen Z employees, 77% said the lack of training left them unprepared or hesitant to act, making them the hardest hit demographic in the aftermath.
Workload Surges, But Training Doesn’t Follow
The increased workload didn’t wait. 61% said their responsibilities jumped immediately after layoffs, and the pressure didn’t let up: one month later, 60% were still carrying a heavier load. What started as temporary coverage quickly became the new normal.
Yet even as responsibilities expanded, 42% reported being assigned tasks outside their area of expertise without training. Senior leaders were more likely to get support (60%), but only 20% of individual contributors received the same.
Silent Leadership and the Rise of “Quiet Chaos”
Layoffs are destabilising, but what happens afterwards can be even worse. Nearly half of layoff survivors (49%) said morale and engagement plummeted. 19% reported a sharp drop in motivation, with zero follow-up or support from leadership. For many, the silence was more damaging than the layoff itself.
Adding fuel to the fire, 48% said global tensions and economic stress have made things worse, resulting in what Kahoot! calls “quiet chaos”: rising burnout, growing disconnection, and leaders who are MIA when employees need them most.
Retention at Risk
The cost of neglecting training isn’t just measured in performance—it’s visible in turnover risk. Only 24% of respondents said the lack of development would not affect their plans to stay. In contrast, 45% said they’re likely to leave within the year if their training needs continue to be ignored. Another 31% said they’d stick around, but feel less committed.
Among Gen Z workers, the warning signs are flashing red: 72% have considered quitting due to mounting pressure and limited support.