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Why High-Earning Talent Is Now More Vulnerable in Layoffs
Higher salaries no longer guarantee job security as companies prioritize external visibility over internal output. Learn why quiet excellence is a risk.
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The Hidden Metric of Job Security
In an era defined by aggressive corporate restructuring and bottom-line optimization, the traditional belief that high performance equates to job security is being fundamentally challenged. A recent case study involving two product managers—one earning Rs 18 LPA (Lakhs Per Annum) and another earning Rs 9 LPA—serves as a sobering reminder that in today’s volatile labor market, technical brilliance is no longer a sufficient shield against redundancy.
When layoffs hit, the individual commanding the higher salary was the one shown the door, while their lower-paid counterpart remained. For many professionals, this outcome seems counterintuitive. Conventional corporate wisdom suggests that those with higher compensation packages are more valuable, as their pay typically reflects greater experience, higher-level responsibilities, or superior output. However, the dynamics of modern corporate survival have shifted, and the reason for this discrepancy lies in a metric that rarely appears on a balance sheet: external visibility.
Performance vs. Presence
Industry experts analyzing the situation have highlighted a critical discrepancy between internal performance and external brand equity. While the Rs 18 LPA product manager was described as “brilliant” within the confines of their immediate team, their impact was largely siloed. They operated under the assumption that their work would speak for itself, focusing entirely on internal deliverables and meeting company KPIs.
Conversely, the colleague earning Rs 9 LPA had cultivated a robust professional footprint outside the organization. By maintaining an active online presence, contributing to industry forums, and engaging with the broader product management community, this individual had essentially built a form of "organizational insurance."