Subscriber First Name, I am by no means a wordsmith, but recently I found myself looking up the Latin root for the word compassion. This is what came up:

The Latin root of the word "compassion" is "compati". It is formed by combining the prefix "com-" (meaning "with" or "together") and the verb "pati" (meaning "to suffer"). Therefore, "compassion" literally translates to "suffering with" or "to suffer together,"

Why was I curious about this world? Well, Subscriber First Name, it’s because I’ve been hearing horror stories about nonprofit layoffs that were anything but compassionate. People are suffering alright—but they’re suffering alone. Values like teamwork, shared purpose, and transparency often disappear when layoffs hit. Instead, staff are being blindsided, deceived, and left isolated in moments when they most need care.

To be clear, I’m not saying these decisions are easy. They’re not. In fact, The Chronicle of Philanthropy is actively tracking nonprofit layoffs, and the data paints a sobering picture. Defunding from the current administration is driving organizations to make cuts at a fast and alarming rate. It’s all happening so quickly, it’s hard to keep up.

But just because it’s happening quickly doesn’t justify what I’ve been hearing from nonprofit professionals who didn’t make the cut. Here are just a few of their words:

“These decisions are being made out of fear and leadership provided no solace or understanding.”

“I feel totally f*cking dispensable.”

“They invited us into a lunch with the board chair, and one-by-one, they called us in to terminate us. Then they escorted us out of the building.”

“I just don’t get how they cut all of us and the Executive Director isn’t taking any financial hits.”

“I was laid off. Effective immediately. I had been told a week earlier that I’d stay on at least through the end of July.”

“I was an executive with a top salary, giving my blood, sweat, and tears to this organization. And they just let me go with as much severance as someone in an entry level position.”

I could go on and on with more testimonials from at least a dozen professionals I’ve talked to these past few weeks. But instead, I want to share a bright spot:

Introducing, The Compassionate Cut. This new offering is designed to support nonprofit leaders and board members through one of the hardest things they’ll ever have to do: laying off staff. This program equips leadership teams with the mindset, tools, and planning strategies needed to navigate layoffs with care—not just for the sake of optics, but to truly honor staff dignity, minimize harm, and ensure organizational continuity in the process.

Aka, this program reminds us that we’re supposed to be in this together.

Yes, layoffs are painful. Yes, these decisions are incredibly hard. And yes, they will cause grief and discomfort. But that doesn’t give us permission to abandon our values or act without integrity.

With The Compassionate Cut, we ask leaders to consider the real risks of moving through layoffs without compassion at the center. According to a recent LinkedIn poll I ran, 75% of respondents expressed the most concern about how layoffs would impact staff morale and trust. The remaining 25% named the overall emotional toll as a major concern.

There’s a lot at stake when we move too fast, too quietly, or too harshly.