Corporate America is putting its staff in layoff limbo

Some companies are announcing cuts weeks or months before telling workers who'll lose their jobs.

Nike is the latest. Meta and GitLab made similar moves earlier this year.

The added time can help staffers find new gigs. It can also add stress.

Some companies are giving an unusual kind of layoff warning: Cuts are coming, though you might have to wait weeks or months to learn whether your role was affected.

Nike did this last week, saying in a statement that it would make decisions about affected roles starting in 2027 and beyond. Earlier this year, Meta and GitLab also announced plans for future cuts before identifying who they would let go. Typically, businesses notify affected employees and the rest of the company on the same day. A lengthy heads-up can give workers time to find a new job. It might also encourage some staffers to leave on their own, potentially saving companies severance costs, workplace observers say. At the same time, anxiety can ripple across a company.

In Nike's statement, CEO Elliott Hill said the sportswear maker will be reducing its head count because it's changing its operating model , and that it doesn't yet know how many roles or which locations will be affected.

"I want to acknowledge that news like this creates uncertainty," Hill wrote. "Throughout this process, we will communicate directly, act with transparency and treat people with respect."

The announcement coincided with the release of Nike's fiscal first-quarter results, which showed profits declined 2% as revenue fell 4%. The company said it expects revenue to decline by a high-single-digit percentage for its current fiscal year.

In a statement, Nike spokeswoman Mary Remuzzi said the company "remains committed to being transparent with our employees and communicating updates as we have them." She also said: "Some actions will occur over time and, in many locations, applicable local requirements and consultation processes will inform timing and execution."

Shares in Nike, which is attempting a turnaround , are down about 46% year to date.

The company last announced it was eliminating about 1,400 roles in April, though at the time it said those affected would hear directly from their leaders and HR partners starting that same day.

When Meta said in April that it would let go 10% of its workforce the following month, internal forums quickly filled up with posts from employees filled with anxiety, dark humor, and questions, Business Insider previously reported. One commentator described the situation they were facing as "28 days of hell."