Could AI Have Prevented the Better.com Layoff Disaster?
A risk analysis of the infamous memo using Lexient.
Most of us in the tech and comms world remember the Better.com layoff memo. The general consensus was that it was a disaster. But could an objective, data-driven tool have caught these issues before they became a global headline? I ran the original transcript through Lexient to find out.
Lexient is an AI tool I'm building to help comms teams stress-test their messaging. I ran the transcript through its "Internal Employee" lens to see how the language would land with the people directly impacted by the news. Here are two of the highest-risk phrases it found.
Analysis is based on the transcript from the original Zoom call from December 1st, 2021.
Risk #1: "...part of the unlucky group..."
Full phrase flagged: "If you're on this call, you are part of the unlucky group being laid off."
Lexient's Analysis (Internal Employee Lens):
"Framing job loss as "unlucky" trivializes the significant impact on employees' lives and deflects corporate responsibility for the decision, which can be deeply insulting and damaging to morale. This language undermines any attempt at empathy and can foster deep resentment among those being laid off."
Risk #2: "...The last time I did it, I cried."
Full phrase flagged: "This is the second time in my career I'm doing this, and I do not want to do this. The last time I did it, I cried. This time, I hope to be stronger."
Lexient's Analysis (Internal Employee Lens):
"This statement demonstrates a severe lack of empathy, shifting the focus from the employees' immediate and significant hardship to the speaker's personal discomfort. It risks alienating employees further by trivializing their situation and making the speaker appear self-absorbed during a critical moment of distress for the audience."
The Takeaway
While no tool can replace human judgment, the Better.com memo is a perfect example of predictable communication failures made under pressure. An objective, data-driven safety net like Lexient could have flagged these high-risk phrases, providing a crucial opportunity for revision before the crisis occurred.
I'm currently looking for a few more innovative teams for my Founding Partners Program to help them craft stronger, safer, and more resonant communications. If that's a priority for your team, I'd love to connect.