New York-based digital agency Goodway confirmed earlier this month that it is restructuring to better align with client needs and that it will be laying off a number of staffers as a result.  

The precise number of layoffs wasn’t clear but they follow job elimination rounds earlier in the year. 

CEO Jay Friedman confirmed the development on LinkedIn in which he confirmed a “restructuring across Goodway Group. With that, we faced a choice. Keep it quiet and try not to talk about it or overtly support the people who will be impacted by eliminating roles in our workforce.” 

Friedman added some context: “We grew our core business this past year – and the year before that. We are making changes to stay true to our mission, which is to help marketers move marketing to the top of their boardroom’s agenda more effectively than any other agency or consultancy. This requires different roles, structure, and sets of experience to further this goal and compete in today’s market.” 

The note also invited other firms to consider hiring Goodway’s displaced personnel. “There will be exceptional talent available across a variety of roles typically found in a digital marketing agency, including shared services or support functions. If you are looking for this type of talent, just email us at alumni@goodwaygroup.com with the roles you're seeking, and we’ll facilitate connections with some outstanding talent where we can help shortcut your search and theirs.” 

Friedman’s post drew a number of positive responses, calling out his “authenticity” and for trying to help staff land new jobs, although one responder replied that “when mass layoff becomes a habit, something very unhealthy lies beneath.” 

In response to a query, an agency official replied via email, “We confirm that there have been reductions in our workforce as part of a strategic realignment to better position our company for the future...These decisions, while difficult, are fundamental to our continued growth and competitiveness. We are dedicated to responsibly supporting our affected employees with comprehensive assistance.” 

In August the agency hired Horizon’s Rick Watrall and tasked him with evolving its technical, data, and analytics priorities. He will also guide decisions around investments in artificial intelligence.  

Earlier in the year the firm issued a white paper about how to analyze and change programmatic waste into a competitive advantage.