Layoffs, Lean Teams & the New Productivity Myth

“Revenue per employee is up.”

Sounds like a win.

Feels like one too—until you zoom out.

Because here’s what we’re seeing behind the curtain:

• People aren’t moving faster.

• They’re moving quieter.

• And not in the “focused flow state” kind of way.

In the “Don’t draw attention. Don’t make waves. Just survive the next restructure” kind of way.

The Culture Cost You Can’t See on a Chart

Yes, the metrics matter.

✅ Productivity is up.
✅ Headcount is down.
✅ Margins look tighter than ever.

But those numbers don’t show you:

— Who’s quietly pulling triple-duty.
— Who’s afraid to experiment because failure might mean exit.
— Who’s sticking around out of fear, not loyalty.

Sometimes, we think we’re building efficiency.

But we’re just building fragility.

A quiet team isn’t always a focused one.

A lean org isn’t always a healthy one.

A productive stretch isn’t always sustainable.

Leanness without clarity creates guesswork. Guesswork leads to anxiety. And anxiety kills momentum.

So What’s the Move?

This isn’t about hiring back fast.

It’s about leading better with what you’ve got.

Ask this:

If it’s the latter, the fix starts here:

1) Communicate beyond the numbers. Don’t just announce metrics. Narrate the meaning behind them.

2) Make safety tangible. Be clear on what’s changing—and what isn’t. Especially for the people left holding the bag.

3) Check in without checking out. The strongest signals come in the softest forms: team tone, risk appetite, energy dips. Track those like revenue.

Because the goal isn’t just to run lean.

It’s to run smart.

And smart teams don’t just survive pressure.

They stay bold inside of it.

–Peter