Layoffs can be counterproductive to business goals and harm the employee experience of remaining workers. Leaders should seek to first avoid them, but if there is no other choice, employ employee empathy with the long term in view. Furloughs can offer a better path to both businesses and employees than layoffs. Automation will play a role in keeping organizations operating successfully, but companies must take on projects that are achievable given their current robotics quotient (RQ) level.