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Target’s Layoff Fiasco—Why Job Seekers Can’t Ignore Company Culture

How a company performs in public often predicts what it'll cost you in private. Here are five ways to stress-test a company's culture before you say yes to a job offer. When Target laid off hundreds of corporate employees, most headlines focused on the technology failures. Screens froze, cameras were turned off, and—through a buffering browser—employees received the news few ever want to hear. The company stated its intent was to handle the process with empathy, but for many watching from the outside, the debacle showcased an unwelcome realization: how an organization handles high-pressure situations often mirrors the company culture behind closed doors. Star Tribune’s recent reporting from former and current employees supports that view—but Target is not alone. From Amazon’s culture-fit-centered layoff announcement to Boeing’s C-suite admitting communication breakdowns, the canary-in-the-coal-mine analogy is alive and well, signaling vulnerabilities in culture, leadership, and communication systems that job seekers should vet carefully before saying yes—to a job offer, a plum consulting engagement, or a former boss’s attempt to woo you to their new endeavor. In theory, established professionals know to factor in company culture when considering a job offer, but in practice, most merely give lip service to the idea. The questions candidates ask during the interview process rarely go deep enough: “What’s your company culture like?” “How does your team handle work-life balance?” “What do you value most in employees?” These questions may sound sophisticated, but polite questions invite polite—and often evasive—answers. They’re the corporate equivalent of “Tell me about yourself.” They reveal how a company wants to be seen, not the lived experiences of the people who work there. In fact, in a recent Gartner survey, just 33% of employees reported that their organization consistently delivers on the employee value proposition (EVP) promises it makes—signifying a gap between the brand hype and the day-to-day reality inside. The Target example isn’t a verdict—only a company’s employees can truly attest to what’s happening within its four walls. It is, however, a reminder. High-visibility moments, whether handled smoothly or awkwardly, give job seekers a valuable glimpse into a company’s operating DNA. When evaluating a company’s culture, it’s imperative to go beyond what’s printed on a company’s homepage or even employee review sites like Glassdoor—which can be unfairly skewed for better or worse. Company culture is reflected in how leaders behave under pressure, so job seekers must look beyond the interview scripts and gauge a company’s patterns, communication, and credibility. MORE FOR YOU Five Ways to Stress-Test Company Culture 1. Notice How They Handle Bad News One of the most overlooked clues to the strength—or weakness—of a company’s culture is how it handles a crisis. Layoffs, leadership scandals, and public relations backlash can test the mettle of even the strongest organization. But if you watch how companies navigate those moments, it will display far more about the internal culture than a recruiting reel ever could. On the one hand, companies that communicate earnestly, take full accountability for breakdowns, and show empathy despite pressure will likely operate in kind in the everyday situations that shape your work experience. On the other, if a company deflects, defends, or sows chaos under heavy scrutiny, those patterns will likely repeat themselves in smaller ways once you’re hired. 2. Look For Systems That Support Company Culture “People-first culture” is all the rage, and every employer can tell a great story or two to that end. The real test, however, is determining whether a company practices what it preaches. Sometimes, certain questions are best posed outside of the formal interview process so you don’t risk jeopardizing your candidacy by coming across as too demanding—this is one of those times. To successfully stress-test this element, it helps to understand what “people-first” actually means—whether a company is truly committed to its stated values or simply giving the concept lip service to attract top talent. A genuine people-first culture prioritizes four areas: psychological safety, fairness, growth, and well-being—and that can take various forms. You’ll see well-being modeled when leaders make decisions that balance business goals with human impact. You’ll see psychological safety reflected in how communication happens under pressure—during public relations backlash, layoffs, or leadership changes. Periodic pay audits and clear promotion processes will map back to fairness and growth. In short, a people-first culture is less about office perks and more about whether employees feel heard, supported, and able to thrive. So, in your networking or post-offer decision-making conversations, ask questions along the lines of: “Can you share an example of a decision that was changed or improved because of employee feedback?” “What happens if someone consistently works late or through weekends during a peak project—is that rewarded or rebalanced?” “When employees raise a concern or challenge a decision, what usually happens next?” “How are promotions and raises decided? What makes that process fair or transparent?” “Does the company conduct data-backed pay audits to ensure parity?” Answers to these questions reveal if a potential employer’s people-first slogans are backed by internal systems to support your upward mobility and overall well-being. 3. Gauge Internal Communication to Understand Company Culture It’s already been established that the way organizations respond to high-stakes public crises can be a clue to their behind-the-scenes values. How leaders communicate through the everyday shifts that shape your work life, however, is a far more telling indicator. Rarely are most companies embroiled in major scandal. More often, leaders are dealing with routine but consequential issues—like shifting business priorities or a new return-to-office policy. In those circumstances, strong leaders are expected to provide clarity and reassurance, not confusion or instability. Vague, delayed, or inconsistent communication can turn what should have been a one-time disruption into a crisis of distrust and disengagement. But how do you test for that? During interviews, start by asking questions that gauge communication structure, proactiveness, and accountability when messages miss the mark. Here’s one example: “When priorities shift or new initiatives roll out, how does leadership keep teams informed and aligned?” Here, you’re looking to see if there’s a clear communication structure in place or if information simply trickles down—which can lead to confusion and misalignment. Notice how hiring managers respond. Do they answer directly, providing clarity, or do they hide behind buzzwords? Their response may not represent the entire organization, but it will reflect the manager whose leadership you’d report to—and that has an even greater impact on your day-to-day experience. 4. Observe The Energy Of Long-time Employees A company’s culture isn’t neutral—it fuels engagement for some and quietly erodes it for others. That’s why determining your fit within an organization’s culture is so important to your success and well-being. When engaging with an organization, seek out people who have been there for a while—especially those who have no vested interest in upholding a polished front. Pay attention to their comments, tone, and overall energy, making the important distinction between veteran team members who’ve become jaded or disgruntled versus those who have a fair and balanced perspective. Are they energized and purposeful, or do they seem resigned? Are they connected to the company’s vision, or simply showing up out of obligation? Utilize all of that data to make an informed assessment of the company’s culture. 5. Assess How Boundaries Reflect Organizational Culture Being trusted with the autonomy to do your job well is a decisive factor in your ability to succeed and advance. It’s essential to determine upfront whether leaders give their teams a wide berth to deliver on expectations or if they micromanage the process. Moreover, if promises of flexibility, hybrid work, or mental health support prove to be more brand promise than actual operating principle, take note and factor that into your employment decision. Here are five questions that can help uncover a company’s true stance on boundaries and autonomy: “How do you measure success on this team?” “Is there frequent communication—within and outside the team—that happens after hours or on the weekends? Can you share an example that illustrates the response expectations?” “What does flexibility look like for this team? When someone is sick or traveling, that’s obvious, but what does flexibility look like in a typical week?” “What are the guidelines on in-person collaboration vs. remote? Is there uniformity across the entire team?” “When someone raises concerns about workload or burnout, is there a standard protocol in place? What usually happens next?” Your purpose here is to listen for patterns and to compare those patterns to any dealbreakers you might have. Leaders of strong cultures can describe clear outcomes and respectful boundaries. Leaders of strained cultures have less defined protocols, resulting in greater control, confusion, and coercion. Workplace Culture Is A Non-Negotiable Career Filter Several recent high-profile layoffs have made less-than-positive headlines, so Target is not the only company weathering criticism in the court of public opinion. And whether they’re right or wrong isn’t the point here. The point is to shed light on this pattern: how an organization shows up when the pressure’s on often reveals how that organization leads behind the scenes. Whether job seekers are searching by choice or necessity, it’s imperative to discern whether a company’s culture will help or hinder their career ambitions. For professionals navigating an uncertain job market, the temptation may be to “take what you can get.” But that approach is shortsighted. Doing your due diligence on the company culture isn’t a luxury to abandon out of fear—it’s a non-negotiable part of any successful career strategy. The real risk to your advancement isn’t joining a company that makes mistakes—it’s joining one that doesn’t learn from them. If you liked this, you’ll also want to read: Forget The Performance Review — 3 Power Moves Drive Year-End Promotion Considering a Career Change? This 2-Minute Quiz Could Change Your Mind Renessa Boley Layne is a speaker, author, coach and creator of the FREE Success and Happiness Test. 12 questions reveal your unique strategy to get highly paid doing work you love. Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions

Contributor,Renessa Boley Layne •
Target’s Layoff Fiasco—Why Job Seekers Can’t Ignore Company Culture

How a company performs in public often predicts what it'll cost you in private. Here are five ways to stress-test a company's culture before you say yes to a job offer.

When Target laid off hundreds of corporate employees, most headlines focused on the technology failures. Screens froze, cameras were turned off, and—through a buffering browser—employees received the news few ever want to hear. The company stated its intent was to handle the process with empathy, but for many watching from the outside, the debacle showcased an unwelcome realization: how an organization handles high-pressure situations often mirrors the company culture behind closed doors.

Star Tribune’s recent reporting from former and current employees supports that view—but Target is not alone. From Amazon’s culture-fit-centered layoff announcement to Boeing’s C-suite admitting communication breakdowns, the canary-in-the-coal-mine analogy is alive and well, signaling vulnerabilities in culture, leadership, and communication systems that job seekers should vet carefully before saying yes—to a job offer, a plum consulting engagement, or a former boss’s attempt to woo you to their new endeavor.

In theory, established professionals know to factor in company culture when considering a job offer, but in practice, most merely give lip service to the idea. The questions candidates ask during the interview process rarely go deep enough:

“What’s your company culture like?”

“How does your team handle work-life balance?”

“What do you value most in employees?”

These questions may sound sophisticated, but polite questions invite polite—and often evasive—answers. They’re the corporate equivalent of “Tell me about yourself.” They reveal how a company wants to be seen, not the lived experiences of the people who work there. In fact, in a recent Gartner survey, just 33% of employees reported that their organization consistently delivers on the employee value proposition (EVP) promises it makes—signifying a gap between the brand hype and the day-to-day reality inside.

The Target example isn’t a verdict—only a company’s employees can truly attest to what’s happening within its four walls. It is, however, a reminder. High-visibility moments, whether handled smoothly or awkwardly, give job seekers a valuable glimpse into a company’s operating DNA. When evaluating a company’s culture, it’s imperative to go beyond what’s printed on a company’s homepage or even employee review sites like Glassdoor—which can be unfairly skewed for better or worse. Company culture is reflected in how leaders behave under pressure, so job seekers must look beyond the interview scripts and gauge a company’s patterns, communication, and credibility.

MORE FOR YOU

Five Ways to Stress-Test Company Culture

1. Notice How They Handle Bad News

One of the most overlooked clues to the strength—or weakness—of a company’s culture is how it handles a crisis. Layoffs, leadership scandals, and public relations backlash can test the mettle of even the strongest organization. But if you watch how companies navigate those moments, it will display far more about the internal culture than a recruiting reel ever could. On the one hand, companies that communicate earnestly, take full accountability for breakdowns, and show empathy despite pressure will likely operate in kind in the everyday situations that shape your work experience. On the other, if a company deflects, defends, or sows chaos under heavy scrutiny, those patterns will likely repeat themselves in smaller ways once you’re hired.

2. Look For Systems That Support Company Culture

“People-first culture” is all the rage, and every employer can tell a great story or two to that end. The real test, however, is determining whether a company practices what it preaches. Sometimes, certain questions are best posed outside of the formal interview process so you don’t risk jeopardizing your candidacy by coming across as too demanding—this is one of those times.

To successfully stress-test this element, it helps to understand what “people-first” actually means—whether a company is truly committed to its stated values or simply giving the concept lip service to attract top talent.

A genuine people-first culture prioritizes four areas: psychological safety, fairness, growth, and well-being—and that can take various forms. You’ll see well-being modeled when leaders make decisions that balance business goals with human impact. You’ll see psychological safety reflected in how communication happens under pressure—during public relations backlash, layoffs, or leadership changes. Periodic pay audits and clear promotion processes will map back to fairness and growth. In short, a people-first culture is less about office perks and more about whether employees feel heard, supported, and able to thrive.

So, in your networking or post-offer decision-making conversations, ask questions along the lines of:

“Can you share an example of a decision that was changed or improved because of employee feedback?”

“What happens if someone consistently works late or through weekends during a peak project—is that rewarded or rebalanced?”

“When employees raise a concern or challenge a decision, what usually happens next?”

“How are promotions and raises decided? What makes that process fair or transparent?”

“Does the company conduct data-backed pay audits to ensure parity?”

Answers to these questions reveal if a potential employer’s people-first slogans are backed by internal systems to support your upward mobility and overall well-being.

3. Gauge Internal Communication to Understand Company Culture

It’s already been established that the way organizations respond to high-stakes public crises can be a clue to their behind-the-scenes values. How leaders communicate through the everyday shifts that shape your work life, however, is a far more telling indicator.

Rarely are most companies embroiled in major scandal. More often, leaders are dealing with routine but consequential issues—like shifting business priorities or a new return-to-office policy. In those circumstances, strong leaders are expected to provide clarity and reassurance, not confusion or instability. Vague, delayed, or inconsistent communication can turn what should have been a one-time disruption into a crisis of distrust and disengagement.

But how do you test for that? During interviews, start by asking questions that gauge communication structure, proactiveness, and accountability when messages miss the mark. Here’s one example:

“When priorities shift or new initiatives roll out, how does leadership keep teams informed and aligned?”

Here, you’re looking to see if there’s a clear communication structure in place or if information simply trickles down—which can lead to confusion and misalignment. Notice how hiring managers respond. Do they answer directly, providing clarity, or do they hide behind buzzwords? Their response may not represent the entire organization, but it will reflect the manager whose leadership you’d report to—and that has an even greater impact on your day-to-day experience.

4. Observe The Energy Of Long-time Employees

A company’s culture isn’t neutral—it fuels engagement for some and quietly erodes it for others. That’s why determining your fit within an organization’s culture is so important to your success and well-being. When engaging with an organization, seek out people who have been there for a while—especially those who have no vested interest in upholding a polished front.

Pay attention to their comments, tone, and overall energy, making the important distinction between veteran team members who’ve become jaded or disgruntled versus those who have a fair and balanced perspective. Are they energized and purposeful, or do they seem resigned? Are they connected to the company’s vision, or simply showing up out of obligation? Utilize all of that data to make an informed assessment of the company’s culture.

5. Assess How Boundaries Reflect Organizational Culture

Being trusted with the autonomy to do your job well is a decisive factor in your ability to succeed and advance. It’s essential to determine upfront whether leaders give their teams a wide berth to deliver on expectations or if they micromanage the process. Moreover, if promises of flexibility, hybrid work, or mental health support prove to be more brand promise than actual operating principle, take note and factor that into your employment decision.

Here are five questions that can help uncover a company’s true stance on boundaries and autonomy:

“How do you measure success on this team?”

“Is there frequent communication—within and outside the team—that happens after hours or on the weekends? Can you share an example that illustrates the response expectations?”

“What does flexibility look like for this team? When someone is sick or traveling, that’s obvious, but what does flexibility look like in a typical week?”

“What are the guidelines on in-person collaboration vs. remote? Is there uniformity across the entire team?”

“When someone raises concerns about workload or burnout, is there a standard protocol in place? What usually happens next?”

Your purpose here is to listen for patterns and to compare those patterns to any dealbreakers you might have. Leaders of strong cultures can describe clear outcomes and respectful boundaries. Leaders of strained cultures have less defined protocols, resulting in greater control, confusion, and coercion.

Workplace Culture Is A Non-Negotiable Career Filter

Several recent high-profile layoffs have made less-than-positive headlines, so Target is not the only company weathering criticism in the court of public opinion. And whether they’re right or wrong isn’t the point here. The point is to shed light on this pattern: how an organization shows up when the pressure’s on often reveals how that organization leads behind the scenes. Whether job seekers are searching by choice or necessity, it’s imperative to discern whether a company’s culture will help or hinder their career ambitions.

For professionals navigating an uncertain job market, the temptation may be to “take what you can get.” But that approach is shortsighted. Doing your due diligence on the company culture isn’t a luxury to abandon out of fear—it’s a non-negotiable part of any successful career strategy. The real risk to your advancement isn’t joining a company that makes mistakes—it’s joining one that doesn’t learn from them.

If you liked this, you’ll also want to read:

Forget The Performance Review — 3 Power Moves Drive Year-End Promotion

Considering a Career Change? This 2-Minute Quiz Could Change Your Mind

Renessa Boley Layne is a speaker, author, coach and creator of the FREE Success and Happiness Test. 12 questions reveal your unique strategy to get highly paid doing work you love.

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