A new CEO doesn’t always mean layoffs. What to watch out for

As soon as a new CEO is named at a company, the rumor mill often goes into high gear and staffers start to worry.

The basic concern is: Will I lose my job?
The prospect of layoffs is usually tied less to a new chief executive per se than to the state of the company and its future needs, said Anthony Abbatiello, head of Russell Reynolds Associates’ Leadership & Succession Practice.
Nevertheless, many people assume the worst because they’ve seen employees being shown the door soon after a new CEO is appointed.