Summary:

Kim Allain is a senior HR executive and culture leader known for human-centered, research-informed practice. She leads organizational transformation, leadership development, and change initiatives rooted in the belief that workplaces should elevate people—not deplete them.

What do you do when you’re “promoted” into a layoff? Kim tells the story of being handed a surprise reduction-in-force and how she refused the default playbook—opting for a research-backed, human-first path that protected trust and strengthened the business. We unpack what actually happens to culture after layoffs, why the “psychological contract” matters, and practical ways leaders can make hard changes without breaking their people.

Chapters:

00:00:00 – The “battlefield promotion” into a layoff

00:04:00 – Why default RIFs backfire: trust, culture, and long-tail risk

00:07:00 – Psychological contract 101: what leaders break (often unknowingly)

00:10:00 – Research that changed the plan: alternatives to compulsory cuts

00:18:00 – Sequencing the comms: clarity, criteria, and support

00:22:00 – What happened next: outcomes and org response

00:30:00 – Building resilient culture after hard changes

00:34:00 – Playbook recap: decisions, messaging, and metrics to watch

Host Dr. Jim: linkedin.com/in/drjimk

Guest Kimberly Allain: linkedin.com/in/kimberlygallain

Executive Producer Shannon Cornelison: linkedin.com/in/shannon-cornelison-9aa8b8248

Creative Advisor Dr. Jim Kanichirayil: linkedin.com/in/drjimk

Music Credit: "Lost in Dreams" by Kulakovka