SHERIDAN, WYOMING – July 25, 2025 – A recent string of awkward and, at times, insensitive employee layoff notifications in the biopharma industry is sparking serious concerns around internal communications, HR protocol, and employer branding amid rising workforce reductions.
While layoffs are an unfortunate but sometimes necessary response to shifting corporate strategies or economic pressures, the delivery method can profoundly affect company culture, morale, and long-term talent retention. Recent reports reveal a troubling trend: a growing number of biopharma professionals are learning they’ve lost their jobs through accidental Slack messages, deactivated access cards, and even leaked internal documents—well before any formal announcement.
Digital Mishaps and Accidental Reveals
One of the most widely circulated cases emerged from a Reddit post on July 15, where an anonymous biopharma employee wrote: “This prompted the entire office to check and I would say 95% of us are listed as terminated.” The user, whose coworkers uncovered the news while attempting to request time off, described how the company’s HR system showed “terminated” next to multiple names, leading to internal panic. Within hours, employees lost access to benefits and received a vague end-of-day meeting invite. Although the employer was not named, commenters identified the company as Sarepta Therapeutics, which officially confirmed a layoff of approximately 500 employees on July 16.
From Slack Mistakes to Shared Bathroom Lockouts
Dozens of additional stories gathered by BioSpace via SurveyMonkey indicate such incidents are not isolated. Among the more bizarre: an employee locked out after a bathroom break due to deactivated badge access, and a strategic layoff plan inadvertently posted in a non-private Slack channel.
“The C-suite people, who clearly lack of the training of using slack after 8 years, disclosed the RIF plan in a non-private C suite channel,” one survey respondent shared. The result: employees became aware of impending cuts months in advance, undercutting leadership’s planned timeline and messaging.
Another person recounted, “They de-activated my card access from our company suite while I was out of the company office going to the bathroom… I was locked out of the building after peeing since I couldn’t scan back in! It was mortifying.”
Unexpected Meetings and Impersonal Notifications
A number of layoffs were communicated during what employees believed to be routine meetings. One respondent noted, “I was met with the department head and HR instead informing me that as of the meeting end my position was terminated and to log off immediately post meeting and to not speak to any other coworkers.”
Others described ambush-style notifications during one-on-ones or departmental sessions: “Several of us above a certain level of seniority, cut. No further explanation. They kept all the materials tho.”
Another described the impersonal handling of a mass layoff: “Sat and listened to everyone around me get a call and go get a folder from HR with the layoff packet… Boss’ phone rang before mine so obviously I was soon after. Awkward for everyone and lengthy process.”
Impact on Employer Reputation and HR Best Practices
With a 31% year-over-year increase in biopharma layoffs reported in the first half of 2025, how companies handle terminations is under growing scrutiny. While restructuring and strategic realignment are common in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors, the execution of layoffs—especially in a digital-first workplace—has become a defining factor in employer branding and employee trust.
In a highly competitive talent market, firms that fail to uphold dignity and transparency during offboarding risk reputational damage, lower engagement among remaining staff, and difficulty in rehiring for critical roles post-recovery.
As one respondent summarized regarding a company that had already conducted two layoffs previously: “They thought this was the best way to do it.”
Looking Ahead: A Need for Strategic Workforce Communication
These cases highlight the urgent need for biopharma companies to reevaluate and improve their internal communication strategies. With virtual workplaces and asynchronous operations spanning multiple time zones, coordinated, humane, and transparent offboarding protocols are no longer optional—they are essential for protecting both talent pipelines and organizational credibility.
Learn more about this issue and industry responses at www.fairsonline.org