"They've watched so many people lose their jobs, that has an impact" – Managing morale in the wake of layoffs

After years of mass layoffs across the games industry, HR experts say the morale of remaining staff is being overlooked, with some employees having lived through two, three or more rounds of cuts. Emma Smith, formerly of Creative Assembly and now at Hestia Talent Partners, argues studios must rebuild trust through honesty and consistency before motivation can return, while Compulsion Games' Michael Elliott Chan advises regular communication and one-to-one conversations. Both also say career development need not mean promotion, and can include deepening skills or mentoring.