Fearing a layoff? Channel your inner doomsday prepper

With job cuts running above year-ago levels for much of 2025 and hiring at its lowest point in over a decade, more workers are living with the anxiety of wondering whether their position is safe. Fast Company tackled the topic head-on in December 2025, drawing an unexpected but useful parallel between financial preparedness and the mindset of a doomsday prepper.

The comparison is less dramatic than it sounds. Just as practical preppers focus on having a plan in place before a crisis hits, financial experts advise workers to take stock of their situation well before a layoff becomes a reality. Family Credit Management President and Founder Michael McAuliffe contributed to the piece, emphasizing that the window between hearing the first layoff rumors and receiving actual news is precious time that most people do not use to their advantage.

The article walks through a range of concrete steps workers can take to soften the financial blow of a potential job loss, including reviewing liquid assets and emergency funds, maximizing available benefits before they disappear, reducing discretionary spending, and identifying a trusted support network to lean on both emotionally and professionally.

The throughline across all of it: fear without action makes things worse, and preparation is not the same as panic. For anyone feeling uneasy about job security right now, this piece is a grounding and genuinely useful read.

Read the full article at Fast Company.