Santa Monica-based RAND Corporation, a nonprofit global policy think tank, research institute, and public-sector consulting firm, has announced an 11% reduction in its global workforce as part of a cost-cutting initiative.
The personnel realignment impacted 192 employees, with layoffs commencing on October 21, 2025, and the final 72 layoffs at its Santa Monica, California headquarters being completed by November 2, 2025.
According to a company spokesperson, "Today we made the difficult decision to reduce our workforce by 11 percent, returning RAND to its size of a few years ago. This shift aligns our resources with changes in the broader research environment.
We want everyone to know that our departing colleagues are skilled, dedicated professionals who have made lasting contributions to RAND’s mission. We’re proud to have worked with them and will do all we can to support them as they move forward. They will always be part of the RAND story."
"Even through times of change, RAND remains as focused as ever on our mission to help improve policy and decision-making through research and analysis. The 192 layoffs were a 'difficult but necessary' return to the nonprofit's staffing levels of a few years ago."
Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life, nor promises of a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, at any time, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?