Former Verizon CEO’s Emotional Message to 13,000 Laid-Off Workers
Verizon’s former business CEO Tami Erwin has written a heartfelt open letter to the 13,000 employees affected by the telecom giant’s largest-ever layoffs, offering emotional support and career guidance during this challenging transition.
Key Takeaways
- Verizon is cutting 13,000 jobs, representing 13% of its workforce
- Former CEO Tami Erwin penned emotional LinkedIn letter to affected staff
- She emphasizes that “people remain the heart of every great company”
- Erwin rose from customer service to C-suite during her 35-year Verizon career
An Unusually Personal Corporate Message
Erwin, who served as Verizon Business CEO before departing in 2022, posted the letter on LinkedIn where it has resonated across the corporate world. “The news this week has weighed on me deeply,” she wrote. “As I reflect on it tonight, on a quiet Friday night, I’m thinking about the people behind the headlines.”
Her message emphasized that while technological transformation is necessary, “people remain the heart of every great company.”
From Customer Service to C-Suite: A Leader Who Understands
Erwin, who rose from customer service representative to the C-suite, acknowledged knowing “how profoundly this will be felt across the V Team.”
“To those impacted, from someone who will always bleed Verizon red: Give yourself permission to grieve,” she wrote. “A job is identity, relationships, pride. Losing it is personal.”
The Scale of Verizon’s Restructuring
The cuts represent roughly 13 percent of Verizon’s 100,000-person workforce and will slash labor costs for nonunion employees by 20 percent. The company’s challenges are evident in its recent performance – Verizon lost 7,000 consumer postpaid phone connections last quarter while analysts had forecast gains.
Balancing Technology Transformation with Human Impact
While acknowledging that AI, quantum computing, robotics and intelligent networks will redefine business, Erwin issued a pointed message about corporate responsibility.
“Technology doesn’t transform a company. People do,” she stated. “And when change affects people’s livelihoods, leaders must modernise more than systems—they must modernise process, communication, empathy, and accountability.”
She added a stark warning: “Transformation without humanity isn’t leadership.”
Hope for the Next Chapter
Drawing on her own experience leaving Verizon three years ago, Erwin assured displaced workers: “Your next chapter will be equally as fulfilling.”
She encouraged employees to recognize that “your Verizon experience is meaningful and will open doors” and to “build a framework for your next chapter and go forth and conquer.”
“Your story isn’t ending—it’s evolving,” she concluded. “And I’m cheering for you, always.”
