Before I founded Respiris, I had spent decades in Human Resources — quietly, consistently doing the work. Building teams. Navigating restructures. Supporting performance conversations. Scaling early-stage companies. And, quietly, helping people in transition. I didn’t have a name for it back then. But the truth is, I was doing outplacement before I ever thought of starting a company. Not because someone paid me to, but because I couldn’t not do it.

In a world of rapid economic shifts, workforce reductions, and strategic pivots, employers face mounting pressure to navigate employee transitions with both empathy and precision. Respiris exists to meet this challenge head-on. We are a modern, tech-enabled outplacement and transition partner that prioritizes people while protecting brand, mitigating legal risk, and empowering growth. Our mission is simple: reinspire transitions

If you work in HR and you’re in transition, this is for you. We’re often the ones helping others navigate change. But when the change happens to us, it can feel isolating, quiet, and unspoken. HR transitions aren’t talked about enough. That’s why Respiris created something simple—and deeply human: a place where we gather, check in, and get re-inspired.

There’s a quiet, often unseen space that opens up when someone loses a job. It’s the space in between—where uncertainty, vulnerability, and possibility all live at once. It’s in this moment, the "in-between," that Respiris shows up with career transitions support.

Change is inevitable. With it comes uncertainty. But in the face of such change, one thing remains constant: the role HR plays in supporting businesses and employees alike.

For businesses, this means balancing financial stability, workforce planning, and compliance with evolving regulations while maintaining productivity and morale. For employees, it’s about feeling secure, valued, and having a sense of purpose in their careers. In times of turbulence, HR is the bridge between business continuity and human resilience.

That’s where HR proves its value—ensuring that organizations don’t merely react to change, but proactively respond with intention and empathy.

It is March 5, 2025, and tons of companies and government agencies have reduced their workforces.

Ouch.

I’m Angel Cruzado, Founder and CEO of Respiris, and I know firsthand how job transitions impact people—because I’ve been there myself. Layoffs are more than a headline; they’re deeply personal. When your job is taken away, it can feel like your identity, stability, and sense of purpose vanish overnight. That’s why I built Respiris—to help individuals navigate these uncertain moments with clarity, confidence, and community.

When faced with a Reduction in Force (RIF), it’s easy to focus only on cost-cutting. However, workforce reductions are driven by hundreds of factors, from market shifts to business model changes. While layoffs are often necessary, they must be done with strategy, fairness, and empathy to minimize business disruption, legal risks, and damage to company culture.