Is the Idea That “Big Companies = Job Security” a Complete Illusion? The Reality of Layoffs at Well-Known Companies and Firsthand Accounts from the Front Lines

The old myth that “joining a large corporation guarantees a secure future for life” has already been completely debunked.
The reality today is that even well-known, prestigious companies are carrying out ruthless layoffs and brutal voluntary retirement programs behind the scenes of structural reforms and digital transformation initiatives aimed at ensuring their survival.

Even if a company itself survives, that doesn’t necessarily mean its employees will be protected. We’ll explain the harsh reality of this situation based on
actual examples of layoffs at well-known companies and real-life reviews and testimonies from the front lines.

Fujitsu: High-Pressure Voluntary Retirement Program That Erodes Dignity

Fujitsu, which has been carrying out large-scale layoffs on a regular basis since the 1990s, has been the subject of rumors regarding such harsh measures that it has even been mocked online as having “layoffs as its core business.”

• Real-life testimonials from the field
  : “They would meticulously gather information from colleagues about the target’s reputation within the company, then confront the employee with all the negative points they had collected to psychologically destroy their dignity and force them into a situation where they had no choice but to resign voluntarily.”“Senior management treated the task of ‘how to push older employees out of the company’ as if it were a core part of their duties.”

SoftBank Group: Transition of Approximately 4,000 Employees to a Different Job Category (Care Workers)

At a subsidiary of the SoftBank Group, approximately 4,000 employees deemed “surplus” by the company were simultaneously reassigned to caregiving positions—a field completely unrelated to their previous roles.

• Real-life feedback from the field
  : “Some people said they felt more appreciated than when they were working in insurance sales and that caregiving was a better fit for them.” “That said, a forced transfer to a completely different field that ignores one’s career history is nothing more than a de facto way of pushing people out.”

IBM Japan: Persistent Resignation Interviews Immediately After Returning to Work

At IBM Japan, a case made headlines in which an employee who had just returned to work after medical leave was subjected to as many as five voluntary resignation counseling sessions within just three months of returning.

• Real-life testimonials from the field
  : “During my meeting, I was told, ‘There’s no place left in this company where you can fully utilize your abilities. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t hesitate to look for a new job.’” “The methods used to encourage resignation are so aggressive that they border on being illegal, and there are numerous cases where this has actually led to lawsuits.”

Toshiba: Work Unrelated to the “Exit Rooms” That Deny Career Advancement

At Toshiba, which implemented a restructuring plan known as “Next Plan” affecting some 7,000 employees, there have been reports of harsh treatment of employees who refused to take early retirement.

• Real-life testimonials from the workplace
  : “When I refused to resign, I was sent to what’s known as a ‘push-out room’ and ordered to perform tasks—such as cleaning and organizing the warehouse—that had nothing to do with my actual job.” “I felt as if my 27-year career as an IT engineer had been completely invalidated, and I was pushed to the brink of a mental breakdown.”

Sony: The Isolated Division Known Colloquially as the “Gas Chamber”

The “Career Development Office,” which existed during Sony’s restructuring period, was shrouded in such an eerie atmosphere that it was secretly referred to within the company as the “gas chamber.”

• Real-life testimonials from the workplace
  : “Inside, there was no conversation among coworkers, and no phones rang. An eerie silence hung in the air, just like in a library.” “I was constantly presented with severance pay offers and reemployment support plans, and in a space where I was given nothing to do, I was relentlessly pressured to decide to resign.”

Mizuho Bank: Reassignments to Departments with No Prior Experience, Carried Out Under the Guise of Digital Transformation

At major financial institutions, including Mizuho Bank, there has been a series of layoffs among administrative staff and transfers to departments where employees have no prior experience, as part of efforts to digitize operations (DX) and reduce the number of branches.

• Real-life testimonials from the field
  : “I was suddenly transferred from an administrative position to a retail sales role with no prior experience. My aptitude and preferences weren’t taken into account at all—it felt like they were basically telling me, ‘If you don’t like it, quit.’” “Even after the transfer, the pay increase was minimal—less than 100,000 yen in annual salary—so it really feels like I’m not being rewarded for the change in my working conditions.”

JAL (Japan Airlines): Sudden Layoff Notices Following Bankruptcy

When JAL went bankrupt in 2010, the company was forced to lay off a large number of veteran flight attendants and pilots who had supported the company for many years.

• A real-life testimonial from the field
  : “Even though I had worked there for many years with pride, one day I was suddenly let go. I was even deprived of the chance to be seen off on my final flight, and all that was left was a sense of bitterness.”

A Wave of Layoffs Sweeping Through Major Corporations

Even in recent years, major companies across various industries have been announcing a succession of large-scale early retirement programs, layoffs, and workforce reductions.

There has been an increase in cases where companies are carrying out layoffs even when they are in the black, presenting these measures as “proactive structural reforms,” which proves that, even on paper, there is no such thing as a “secure job.”

The voices of those directly affected and workers flooding the internet and social media

In light of these layoff realities, social media and online forums are filled with workers’ realistic, cynical comments and expressions of concern.

• "Don't get complacent just because you've landed a job at a big company; the right move is to start saving money early and aim for FIRE (early retirement). Employees are treated as disposable."
• "It's not worth it if, when you're young, you're underpaid under a seniority-based system, only to be laid off just as you start earning more as you get older."
• "It has become a system where the people who work the hardest for the company end up losing out."
• "Taking out a 30- to 50-year mortgage is far too risky in an era when layoffs have become the norm."

Conclusion: The era of entrusting your life to a company is over

The truth revealed by the case studies and customer reviews presented here is very simple.

• Even if a large corporation as an organization doesn't go under, the employees who work there can easily be let go.
• Transfers to departments outside one's field of expertise and "exile offices" still exist today, albeit in different forms.
• Companies don't take care of employees' personal lives or personal circumstances.

Relying solely on an organization’s reputation or the title of “employee of a large corporation” poses significant risks. It’s important to take steps to ensure you can support yourself on your own—no matter when you leave the company—such as acquiring skills that are valuable outside the company and building personal wealth.