June 17, 2025: As economic uncertainty continues and US workforce reductions ripple across industries, a new survey from Kahoot! – the learning and engagement platform – reveals a critical blind spot in post-layoff workforce strategy: training for the employees who remain. While the focus is often on those who are let go, it is the survivors who are left to pick up the pieces with little to no support.
This comes at a time when workplace engagement in the U.S. has dropped to its lowest level in a decade, according to Gallup. New findings from Kahoot! show that organizational disruption, continued workforce and geopolitical volatility, and a lack of structured re-onboarding following a layoff are further fueling that decline, especially among younger employees.
According to the Kahoot! 2025 Layoff Survivor Survey, 65% of layoff survivors said they made a costly mistake or felt unprepared or hesitant to act at work due to a lack of training after layoffs. Among Gen Z employees, that number rises to 77 percent—highlighting how younger workers are feeling the impact most acutely. Seventy percent of all respondents said a structured re-onboarding program would have made the transition easier, yet only 27% received one.
“Surviving a layoff doesn’t mean surviving the impact,” said Eilert Hanoa, CEO of Kahoot!. “When companies cut headcount without supporting those who remain, they are not just risking morale and employee engagement. They are risking mistakes, missed opportunities, and lost talent. The knowledge that left with those layoffs is not easily replaced. Without proper re-onboarding, what is lost can ripple across the entire organization.”
Trial and error has replaced training and the hidden tax is falling on employees
Most employees weren’t just doing more after surviving a layoff. They were figuring it out as they went. Eighty-four percent said they spent time during the workweek teaching themselves how to handle new responsibilities. One in four spent more than four hours a week doing so.
Only 27% received structured training or orientation for their new responsibilities. The rest relied on informal support or none at all. Fifty-five percent leaned on peer learning, 44% learned through trial and error, and 28% turned to resources like YouTube or Google to help.
After the Workquake, the aftershock became the job
For many, the workload surge hit on day one. Sixty-one percent said their workload increased immediately after layoffs. That rose to 63% by the end of the first week. A month later, 60% were still carrying more work than before. What began as temporary coverage became the new job.
Despite the heavier lift, 42% said they were frequently or constantly assigned tasks outside their area of expertise without training. While senior-level executives (60%) were more likely to receive structured onboarding for new tasks, only 20% of individual contributors said the same.
“Quiet chaos” took over where leadership should have stepped in
Nearly half of layoff survivors (49%) reported a drop in morale and engagement. For many, the silence that followed was more damaging than the layoffs themselves. Nineteen percent said their motivation took a significant hit and that leadership offered no support. Another 30% said there was some effort to rebuild morale, but it didn’t go far enough.
Adding to the emotional toll, 48% said current global and economic tensions have made things worse. With no clear direction and mounting stress, the result is quiet chaos: unspoken burnout, growing disconnection, and leadership that isn’t showing up when it’s needed most.
The next round of exits will not be layoffs, they will be walkouts
The lack of training and support isn’t just affecting performance, it’s influencing retention. Only 24% said the absence of training and development would have no impact on their decision to stay. Forty-five percent said they would likely leave within the next year if training needs aren’t met. Another 31% said they would stay, but feel less committed to the company.
Younger employees are feeling this most. Seventy-two percent of Gen Z respondents said they’ve considered leaving due to increased pressure and limited support after layoffs.
When fear of judgment wins, learning loses
While 54% of employees said they feel comfortable asking leadership for help or training, the other 46% do not. Eighteen percent worry they’ll appear incompetent, 10% said no resources are available, and another 18% said it depends on the situation.
Despite these barriers, employees want to learn. Sixty percent said access to training improved their ability to contribute to company goals. Eighty percent said they’d be more likely to recommend their employer if learning and development were prioritized, revealing a powerful link between upskilling and loyalty.
About the Kahoot! 2025 Layoff Survivor Survey
This survey was conducted online by Researchscape on behalf of Kahoot! from April 24 to May 1, 2025, and includes responses from 1,064 full-time U.S. workers who experienced at least one company layoff in the past three years.
About Kahoot!
Kahoot! is on a mission to make learning awesome! We want to empower everyone, including children, students, and employees to unlock their full learning potential. Our learning platform makes it easy for any individual or corporation to create, share, and host learning sessions that drive compelling engagement. Launched in 2013, Kahoot!’s vision is to build the leading learning platform in the world. Since launch, Kahoot! has hosted hundreds of millions of learning sessions with over 12 billion participants (non-unique) in more than 200 countries and regions. The Kahoot! Group includes Clever, the leading US K-12 EdTech learning platform, together with the learning apps DragonBox, Poio, Drops, Actimo, Motimate, and Whiteboard.fi. The Kahoot! Group is headquartered in Oslo, Norway with offices in the US, the UK, France, Finland, Singapore, Japan, Australia, Estonia, Denmark, Spain and Poland. To learn more, visit us at kahoot.com. Let’s play!
Media contact for Kahoot!:
Axel Heiberg-Andersen
axelh@kahoot.com